Organizers of the Florence Ershun Memorial Scholarship will feature an unusual and entertaining afternoon of music and poetry intended to raise funds for this new and worthwhile program.

Among the well-known musicians and poets scheduled to perform are guitarist and composer Gil Gutiérrez, who continues to make inroads on the international concert circuit with his recent success in the United States at the Kennedy Center. Gil and his eclectic group will interpret original compositions. Poet and playwright Lilia Trápaga also performs; she has contributed to San Miguel's cultural fabric for many years, with memorable appearances in leading bilingual theater productions and multimedia events, including her own unique treatments of native mythology brought to the modern stage. 

Actress/writer Kendal Dodge Butler, who recently funded the Bud Quinlisk Memorial Scholarship for Jóvenes Adelante, will host the event.

Syd Ginsberg's personal approach to poetry is laced with her reminiscences culled from rich life experiences. Author and poet Joe Ershun has been widely published. He is a familiar organizer who has helped promote humanitarian causes and charities reaching out to local communities. Interdisciplinary artist Tim Hazell will offer a selection of music with ethnic roots, part of a recent chamber music collaboration for pre-Hispanic and traditional instruments of the genre. Other guests are scheduled to recite and perform for this second memorial concert and reading.

The Florence Ershun Fund forms an important part of the Jovenes Adelante Scholarship Program. The parent group has already awarded 19 university scholarships to outstanding students in San Miguel. One of the recipients has since graduated, and four others will finish their studies this spring. José Martín Trujillo is the first recipient of a Florence Ershun award. 

Through the efforts of associations such as these, young and talented scholars have the chance to expand their horizons through higher education and reinvest their skills in Mexico's future. This special afternoon selection of performances by artists who share a sense of commitment promises to stimulate with diverse wordscapes and instrumental sounds. The public is cordially invited to attend. For more information contact José Luis Mendoza at 152-7305.

Music and poetry fundraiser for Florence Ershun Memorial Scholarship
Friday, April 7, 5pm, Sala Quetzal, Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25
100 pesos

Opera San Miguel Ofrece Reembolso
By Ali Zerriffi

Ópera de San Miguel nació del sueño de un pequeño grupo de personas, sueño que fue apoyado de manera espontánea y con mucho entusiasmo por muchos dentro y fuera de nuestra comunidad. La idea de que la ópera se convirtiera en parte integrante del calendario de eventos culturales de San Miguel se concretó en la visión de "Carmen en la Plaza de Toros". El primer evento organizado por Ópera de San Miguel, gracias el enorme apoyo que nos brindó la administración municipal, encabezada por Luís Alberto Villarreal, y la participación de la Orquesta de La Marina, fue un gran éxito y a la vez un debut prometedor.

Sin embargo, el proyecto de montar la ópera Carmen, resultó ser más complejo de lo que imaginábamos y poco a poco se vio que estaba más allá de las posibilidades de un pequeño grupo de entusiastas.

Al mismo tiempo, en San Miguel han aparecido otras iniciativas encaminadas a traer la ópera a nuestra comunidad y nosotros los aplaudimos en su esfuerzo por unirse a nuestro sueño. Nuestro pequeño grupo se siente feliz de que el resultado de nuestros esfuerzos sea un increíble interés general por la ópera, así como la posibilidad de que ésta se pueda llevar a cabo aquí. Pero ahora es el momento cuando Ópera de San Miguel tiene que tomar decisiones importantes y las posibilidades son limitadas. Podemos dar todo por terminado y regresar a nuestros miembros una cantidad prorrateada de su contribución, o entregar a la comunidad los recursos con los que contamos para ayudar a financiar la presentación de eventos operísticos en el teatro Ángela Peralta. Por lo tanto, el Consejo de Directores ha votado por una solución mixta que consiste en ofrecer un reembolso prorrateado a aquellos miembros que así lo deseen y utilizar el resto para brindar un apoyo económico a la presentación de espectáculos de ópera en nuestro 

teatro Ángela Peralta. De esta manera, Ópera de San Miguel A.C. promoverá las artes y de manera particular apoyará a la comunidad a restaurar nuestro teatro. Nuestra organización seguirá existiendo y administrando sus fondos hasta el día cuando las circunstancias resulten más favorables para el montaje de una ópera completa. Ópera de San Miguel siempre ha contado con sus voluntarios para la organización de todas sus actividades y jamás ha tenido empleados a sueldo. En conjunto con esta carta estamos publicando un informe financiero completo, así como una retribución prorrateada en pesos para quienes deseen ser reembolsados. Aquellos socios que deseen seguir involucrados con el esfuerzo de la comunidad para ayudar al teatro Ángela Peralta y apoyar a Ópera de San Miguel, recibirán informes periódicos acerca de nuestras contribuciones a eventos operísticos, así como el estado de nuestras finanzas.

Las solicitudes de reembolso se deberán enviar a Ali Zerriffi azerriffi@yahoo.com  antes del primero de mayo del 2006 y éstas serán llevadas a cabo lo más pronto posible. El resto de los fondos no solicitados después de esa fecha se utilizarán para la programación de óperas en el Ángela Peralta.

El Consejo Ejecutivo de Ópera de San Miguel desea darle las gracias a todos nuestros miembros por su sincero apoyo y sobre todo a aquellos que han ofrecido su tiempo y esfuerzo de manera voluntaria durante los últimos dos años. Sí habrá ópera en San Miguel; el sueño ya está en marcha.

OPERA SAN MIGUEL A.C. FINANCIAL REPORT

TOTAL DEPOSITS		306,524.26
EXPENSES
Orchestra		63,576.80
Advertising		6,450.00
Membership Reception		14,292.00
Printing		2,992.00
Travel		2,780.00
Education Committee		11,000.00
Bank charges		155.56
TOTAL EXPENSES		116,781.86
BALANCE		189,742.40

This is a financial summary pending a complete review by the accountants of the Association. Ali Zerriffi Vice President, Finance March 28, 2006

Toni has returned to the poetry room
By Judy Westcott

Toni Gerez has returned to her beloved Biblioteca Pública by way of her portrait, generously donated by the artist, Robert Hildreth. Toni and Robert were friends and neighbors on calle Terraplén for decades. His affection for her is beautifully expressed in his exquisite portrait.

Those of us who loved Toni know that the library was her first love, along with a few dozen gentlemen …. Her contributions in the founding years are well known to the long-serving staff and her many friends.

The portrait was hung recently in Toni's own poetry room, where she spent countless hours in her last years cataloging and cleaning each volume.

A hearty "thank you" goes to Robert Hildreth. His portrait has brought Toni home.

Flowers from a San Miguel garden

Garden Club show organizer Jeananne Mitchell, who organized the very successful 2004 biennial show, notes that "this year the main décor is Japanese. Not only will you see a large bonsai display, but also some exquisite Japanese antiques that we have on loan from exhibitors." In addition, there are beautiful floral arrangements, some with art objects.

Within the horticultural section of garden plants there are many cacti and succulents. The floral entries come from Garden Club members and the public at large and are judged the day before the exhibition. 

Don't miss this one-day opportunity to view the creative displays of some of San Miguel's finest plant and flower lovers.

Garden Club flower and plant show
Sunday, April 2, 11am-5pm, Hotel La Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio, Free

Fundraising dinner to complete the park in Colonia Olimpo

Food, open bar, live music
Saturday, April 1, 3pm, Reservations: 152-4310 or 044-415-109-2700; tomafrazee@yahoo.com 
500 pesos

Tender, loving care for horses and burros
By Kay Gibson

I have been a full-time resident of San Miguel de Allende since June 2004. Some long-time residents complain about the changes brought by the flood of newcomers, but I am enchanted by the beauty and resources of San Miguel. To contribute to my new community, I have been teaching English at Casa Hogar Don Bosco, an orphanage for girls. Then I discovered another way I could assist San Miguel. A friend of mine, Dr. David Turoff, is a veterinarian in northern California, where he has a mobile veterinary service. He told me about a wonderful program with which he is associated, Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS). As we talked about his experiences and looked at photos of his work in Peru and Guatemala, he said that the program was interested in expanding and I asked, "Why not Mexico?" I related that we had a progressive, young mayor who would probably be open to bringing the RAVS program to San Miguel and that I could explore that possibility. He said to go ahead.

In May 2005 I contacted then-mayor Luis Alberto Villarreal regarding RAVS. He approved of the idea, and his staff directed me to work with Gerardo Arteaga, director of Dirección de Medio Ambiente y Ecología, and I have been doing so since then.

In December 2005, Dr. Eric Davis, director of RAVS, suggested dates for the first RAVS visit to San Miguel. Eight years ago, Dr. Davis and a group of veterinary students looked into providing veterinary care for packhorses in the Petén region of northern Guatemala. He was then an equine clinician and assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine. Since 1995 he had been working on projects on Indian reservations in the United States. The RAVS mission since that time has been to deliver veterinary care to communities where economics and/or geography make such care unavailable. Though RAVS works with livestock as well as pets, it is a humane organization, not an agricultural development group. RAVS's goal is to improve the quality of life for animals and to treat them in a humane and ethical fashion. While sustainable and improved production is often a result of this care, it is each animal's individual welfare that is always RAVS's primary concern.

Veterinary students from 25 schools in the US, Canada, Central America and Europe currently participate in this program. Supervising veterinarians and technicians are either faculty from veterinary schools or skilled practitioners. RAVS volunteers and staff provide their own transportation to the clinic site. Host communities provide room and board, and volunteers provide sleeping bags, camping mattresses, surgical scrub suits, equipment and enthusiasm. Thus, all interested students and professionals are able to participate regardless of their financial situation. Several funding agencies and foundations help with travel expenses for individual volunteers, including the Brooke Hospital for Animals in England, The Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States.

RAVS is bringing its program to San Miguel April 24-27, 2006. RAVS is careful not to compete with local veterinarians by offering services only to the poor who cannot otherwise afford such services. But RAVS also welcomes the support and assistance of local veterinarians, who are aware of special health problems of horses and burros in this area. A RAVS team of two veterinarians and four students can provide care to about 100 horses and burros daily. The team works 12 to 14 hours a day, including training a few local people in performing routine care such as vaccinations, deworming and wound and hoof care between RAVS visits.

I am working with Arteaga and other local people and organizations to provide housing and meals for the RAVS team as well as other requirements, such as supplies and transportation to the clinic sites. Please consider making a donation to this admirable program. While RAVS receives support from the organizations previously identified, those foundations look for local support so that their funds can go toward starting new programs. Please make checks payable to RAVS, put them in an envelope addressed to Kay Gibson #235 and leave them at La Conexión, Aldama 3. Contact me at kleeceltic@yahoo.com  or contact Dr. Davis at edavis6702@aol.com 

You may have noticed the many horses and burros in and around San Miguel that look like they could use a little tender, loving care. Your support of RAVS will go a long way toward providing that to these beautiful, hard-working animals.