Recycling bags into bedding
By Carol Sedestrom Ross, Feb 2, 2007

Every Wednesday morning between 10am and noon, a group of volunteers roll plastic bags into balls and stuff them into pre-sewn mattress forms. Sometimes there are as many as 20 volunteers, some Wednesdays as few as 3 or 4. Visitors are always welcome.

The project was originally started in the 1990s by Rita Krug, who decided someone needed to do something about the plastic bags that littered the streets. She began gathering bags and inviting her friends to help her make mattresses. When Rita needed to return to the US, Toni Allen, a volunteer and member of St. Paul’s, took over the project.

Depending on the number of bags and volunteers, the group produces one or two mattresses a week. 

After six or seven mattresses are completed, they are delivered to villages in the campo surrounding San Miguel. There are no pre-planned delivery destinations, and suggestions of where to send the mattresses come from many sources. A particularly useful source of recommendations are the 27 drivers from Feed The Hungry who deliver food every week to the villages. If you have suggestions, visit the project on Wednesday and let Toni know where you think people could use a weatherproof, waterproof and vermin-proof mattress. 

The Mattress Project has been recognized by the state of Guanajuato’s Ecology Department, which gave the volunteers a certificate for their work in cleaning up the environment and invited the volunteers to the Women’s Pavilion in León to teach a class how to make the mattresses.

Just recently, Allen was interviewed by a reporter from a US magazine. Earlier this year, a young man from Guatemala came to photograph the process, hoping to get it started in his country.

You can help by volunteering your time on Wednesday morning at St. Paul’s and/or dropping your plastic bags at Border Crossings, La Conexión or at St. Paul’s between 10am and 2pm. Bags should be clean, dry and flat. The Mattress Makers thank everyone for their assistance and ask that the bags not be knotted.

Blessing of the animals

On January 17, St. Anthony’s Day, also known as the Blessing of the Animals, decorated poodles of all sizes, colors and hairdos gathered at the Church of El Oratorio de San Felipe to receive their annual blessing.

By 5pm, the courtyard of the church filled with poodles and dogs of every breed, as well as caged and tethered birds. One inscrutable cat, on a leash attached to its owner, calmly watched the entire ceremony, as if so many dogs in one place were just plain boring. 

Minutes later, the priest began his benediction, entered the courtyard and sprinkled holy water on the animals. A good blessing was had by all, ensuring the pets and their households would be safe from evil forces for another year.

Spend a day in Rio Laja country

Waterways of Life benefit
Casa de Aves Hotel and Resort
Sun, Feb11, 2–6pm 
500 pesos

Steeped in cultural history and ecological diversity, Atotonilco lies nestled 12 kilometers north of San Miguel de Allende in the heart of the Rio Laja region. The area is a lush expanse for thermal bathing, historic sites, galleries, restaurants, hotels, residences and tourism, as well as an important habitat for native flora and fauna.

But now the area is critically endangered by pollution from gray and black water discharged into the Rio Laja. Every year, over 40,000 pilgrims come to the Casa de Ejercicios, a religious retreat founded more than two centuries ago and the second-most visited pilgrimage site in all of Mexico. It is located near the ecclesiastical jewel Santuario de Atotonilco, built in 1740.

Padre Gumersindo, director of Casa de Ejercicios, has requested help from the community in the renovation of its obsolete and inadequate water treatment and disposal plant. He is taking the lead in the effort and expense to install a treatment system that will recycle water and save 60 percent of the 10,000 cubic meters of pristine thermal water that is currently extracted from the aquifer each month. The system will also eliminate 10,500 cubic meters of black water per month that currently flows into the Rio Laja. That is the equivalent of five Olympic-sized swimming pools of raw sewage every 30 days. 

Fluviale de Vida, or Waterways of Life, is a community organization formed to support this effort. Its immediate goal is to raise 90,000 pesos (US$9,000) to finance the completion of the renovation project. The group is hosting a fund-raising day in the Rio Laja country at the Casa de Aves hotel and resort located in the heart of the beautiful Rio Laja region. The event will include an indigenous dance troupe; a presentation by Arturo Morales, an authority on the natural features of the region; an award presentation to Padre Gumersindo for his leadership in tackling the problem; live entertainment and a Mexican buffet. Free shuttle buses will run from San Miguel for the short ride to Casa de Aves.

The price for the event includes complimentary beer, wine and margaritas. Tickets are very limited and are available at Border Crossings, Solutions, La Conexión and the new Ticket Central in the Tienda at the Biblioteca Pública. If you would like to receive more information, make a donation or join the effort, contact Gunnar Erickson at 152-0129 or viejogringo@gmail.com 

Explore the campo with Global Justice

Global Justice campo trips 150-0025; 300 pesos Boca de La Cañada Sat, Feb 10, 9am–4pm Sosnábar Sun, Feb 11, 9am–4pm

San Miguel de Allende is surrounded by 500 rural communities. Most of us know little of life in these small settlements, which are home to many of Mexico’s poorest. The Center for Global Justice is establishing communication with some of these communities in an effort to better understand campo life. You can participate in this dialogo comunitario by joining one of our day trips to the countryside. Next weekend we will be taking groups to two communities: Boca de la Cañada on Saturday and Sosnábar on Sunday.

On February 10, the Center will visit Boca de la Cañada, a community of 350 persons located at the mouth of the picturesque Canyon of the Virgin. We will have the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the indigenous Otomí, talk with members of this ancient, proud people, share a traditional comida with them and learn why so many are migrating to the US. You can then hike through the beautiful Cañada de la Virgen or rent a horse and explore it on horseback. 

On Sunday, the Center will return to Sosnábar, a rural community with a unique project. Located 8 kilometers east of San Miguel at the foot of the Picacho mountains on fertile, flat land, Sosnábar nevertheless sends many of its young men to El Norte. However, it is harnessing remittance money they send home to unlock matching government funds to build a community church. We will visit with its leaders and share a delicious comida prepared by the campesinas. 

This is your opportunity to venture beyond the familiar cobblestone streets of San Miguel. Each trip will leave at 9am from the Center for Global Justice at Calzada de la Luz 42. The ticket price covers transportation, comida and translation. Advance registration is required. Call 150-0025 for a reservation or email info@globaljusticecenter.org.  Come by the Center weekdays between 9am and 2pm for your ticket.

Ohio Rotary Club brings music to local casas hogares

Alan Rinder of the Chagrin Valley, Ohio Rotary Club recently presented a US$17,120 check to their project partner, the Midday Rotary club.

This check will supply musical instruments, equipment and instruction to the children in the three hogares (Don Bosco, Santa Julia and Mexiquito). The Chagrin Valley Rotary also brought six vintage violins that their club paid to have reconditioned. All of the instruments will become property of the Suzuki program, which will also provide instruction for the children. 

Also attending the Rotary meeting to receive the check were Russ Archibald, president of Suzuki; Libby Clemens, director and head teacher of Suzuki; Sally Reid, representative of Don Bosco; Robin Loving, representative of Santa Julia; and Lynette Seator and George Bell, active members of Suzuki. Alan, a part-time resident of San Miguel de Allende, attended a Midday Rotary meeting earlier in 2006 and met Rotarian Sally Reid. She told him that the Suzuki music program had been providing violin lessons for the girls at the Casa Hogar Don Bosco but that they needed more instruments to do the same for children at Santa Julia and Mexiquito. 

Alan returned to Chagrin Falls and started the process to obtain a Rotary International grant. The Chagrin Falls Interact club helped to raise money by washing cars, holding bake sales and going door-to-door for donations. 

The Suzuki Program of San Miguel was started in 2001 by Professor David Mallory, a professional violinist with many years of experience in teaching the Suzuki method. David returned to Chico, California, early in 2006 for health reasons.

Libby Clemens had her own music school in New York City, where she taught the Suzuki method for over 20 years, and was induced to come down to San Miguel and take charge of the local Suzuki program when she decided it was time to “retire” from life in the big city.

The not-for-profit Suzuki organization was formed in 2003 by full-time residents of San Miguel to carry out this mission: “To provide professionally qualified instruction on bowed string instruments and piano using the Suzuki Method to the children of San Miguel de Allende, GTO, at affordable cost, and to provide financial support to those children whose families cannot otherwise afford to place them in the program.”

Today, there are approximately 40 violin students and 10 piano students, varying in age from 5 to 14 years, in the program, whose parents pay the five teachers directly for their lessons. The generous grant from the Chagrin Valley Rotary Club through Rotary International will now enable a large number of children in our three casas hogares to receive this important musical experience as well.

Charlotte Golden remembered

The following are excerpts from contributions sent to Atención

Charlotte and I lived a few streets apart in San Miguel, and I often passed her as she was walking her two dogs. I will miss those encounters and seeing the dogs with her holding on to a single leash.

Charlotte accomplished a lot in her quiet way. Every Sunday, she would greet people and hand them the order of service program at the entrance to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meetings.

But her most important work for many of her last years was to teach English to Mexican university students who were given scholarships by Jovenes Adelante, an organization that supports bright young men and women who will make a difference in the political, economic and social life of Mexico when they complete their studies. 

Marge Zap



Charlotte Hendler Golden, 87, passed away peacefully at the residence that she designed and built in 1981. Charlotte grew up in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and began a lifelong interest in the arts while living on a farm. She went on to study at Tyler School of Fine Arts in Philadelphia and later earned a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. She became an activist in the sixties, marching for civil rights, human rights and against the Vietnam War, often with her husband, Joseph Golden, a professor of social work.

After moving to San Miguel, Charlotte was a member of several organizations, such as the Audubon Society and PEN, and was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. She worked with the SPA and adopted a series of needy dogs over the years. Since the founding of Jovenes Adelantes, Charlotte gave weekly classes to many students around her kitchen table. She inspired and cared for them as well.

She is survived by her daughter, Sally Mehalek; her grandchildren, Stephen, Virgil and Ines; her great-grandchildren, Stephen James, Chelsea, Jay, Katherine, and Colin; and her beloved dogs.

A scholarship has been set up in her name. Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the Charlotte Golden Scholarship Fund. Checks should be made to Unitarian Universalist Fellowship/SMA (with Jovenes Adelante on the memo line). Contributions can be mailed to Jovenes Adelante, Box 49A, La Conexión, Aldama 3, San Miguel de Allende, Gto., MX 37700. In the US, the address is Jovenes Adelante, Box 49A, 220 N. Zapata Hwy 11, Laredo, TX 78043. 

Sally Mehalek



Charlotte and I enjoyed a very close relationship, even though I don’t have any grand or dramatic stories to tell. Ours was the ordinary stuff of life. The truth is, I don’t remember when or where I met Charlotte. She was just always here in San Miguel, and when I came here to live, I brought my suitcases and her name and phone number. She was Mrs. San Miguel to me, and probably to many others.

We spoke on the phone nearly every day—often several times. She would leave a message on my machine that sounded like a bit of SMA chatter but was actually a very funny joke. Charlotte could never figure out where I lived, and since she lived in the center of town, I would stop by for tea. We’d go to lunch often, but only after a big discussion of where to eat. Sometimes we would sit in the Jardín, or if she heard of something wonderful to do, we would plan to do it together. Charlotte especially liked the Playreaders and the Authors’ Sala. She was a busy woman and didn’t like staying in the house. 

Charlotte was very concerned about conservation. She knew how to conserve water and often took part in various other causes. I know she picketed and/or marched for abortion rights and, most recently, for the rights of Mexicans to enter the US so they could earn a living and support their families. Charlotte was an ardent believer in human, and canine, rights. 

In Charlotte’s last two weeks, she took to her bed, having difficulty walking, and all her friends visited with kisses, flowers and ice cream. She was bright and beautiful, full of requests and stories and eager to receive her visitors. At the end of two weeks, she simply faded away with her head on the shoulder of a loved one. Even in death, she was a woman to emulate.

Alicia Price