Summer Home & Garden Tour set to kick off in Pozos
By Teresa Martinez July 18, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Pozos Home & Garden Tour 
Benefit for Pozos Jardín restoration
Sat, July 26, 11am
Plaza Zaragoza
Minerál de Pozos
Bus: Liverpool parking lot, 10am
250 pesos tour & bus; 100 pesos tour only

Sponsored by Minerál de Pozos Turismo y Cultura, this summer’s Home & Garden Tour benefits the restoration of the Jardín in Pozos. Help us raise funds to complete the restoration of the garden areas around the kiosk. The tour starts from Plaza Zaragoza, an easy walk around a five-block area that will take you to five homes, each more surprising than the last.

Most interesting in this tour is the Beehive House, invented by architect Nader Khalili of Cal-Earth Institute in Hesperia, California, and known as the superblock/sandbag and barbed wire technique. Built by Isadora Hastings from Mexico City, this “earth architecture” is the art of building simply, cheaply and ecologically with nature’s most abundant material.

The “jewel” of the tour is a newly constructed two-story home, a unique addition to the magical town of Minerál de Pozos. From the terrace you will appreciate a view of the historic ruins of the Plaza de Toros (bullring) in the center of town.

The massive garden with over 600 plants, beautiful centerpiece fountain, original stone walls, park benches and cantera paving stones truly makes you feel like you are in your own park. Shut the front door and feel the immediate and total privacy. In addition, the garden contains the original adobe structures and archways which are over 100 years old. As you walk throughout the house from entrance to terrace you will see that every element was meticulously planned to connect with the beauty, silence, tranquility, history and privacy of this amazing mining town. Kyle Lease and Jim Corcoran will be hosting a refreshment break here. Rest your bones, have a glass of wine and enjoy the ambiance of this home and the town.

The 150-year-old Mexican colonial has been in the Gutierrez family for several generations. Tranquilina Gutierrez, who had her 100th birthday this month, will be your hostess in the last house of the tour.

A roundtrip bus departs from the Liverpool parking lot in San Miguel at 10am and returns from the Jardín in Pozos at 5pm. Tickets for the tour and transportation are 250 pesos; tour only is 100 pesos. When you purchase tickets at the Biblioteca Pública in San Miguel, be sure to specify the Home & Garden Tour in Pozos, not the regular Sunday House & Garden Tour in San Miguel. If you drive to Pozos, you can purchase tickets at Posada de las Minas.

For additional information, call 01 (442) 293-0213 or 01 (442) 293-0014, email: pozosmex@yahoo.com. 

From good to great
By Rev. Dr. Cynthia E. Lynch

Nonprofit Conference
Thu–Fri, July 31–Aug 1
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25

San Miguel Community Project in conjunction with the Biblioteca Pública hosts an historic two-day event—the First Annual Nonprofit Conference: “From Good to Great: Pathways to Excellence for Nonprofit Organizations.”

This year’s event will be a must attend for all volunteer members and organization officers of service groups, nonprofit organizations and foundations in San Miguel. Four specialists in nonprofit management offer their expertise in budgeting and financial management, board development, grant writing and using computer technology for marketing. Eight mini-workshops and two plenary sessions will be held over two days in the Biblioteca Pública.

This conference is designed to provide the maximum coverage of several subject areas so many of the sessions will be held concurrently. To be sure that your organization is represented in every session to gain the most from this program, send a team! The registration fee for the individual participant is discounted significantly with each additional member (up to four per team).

The workshops are cumulative, meaning they build on each other. Your organization will gain the most knowledge if each team member participates for the full two days.

If you have any questions or would like more information concerning the conference or to ensure that you get a conference notice, please call me, Cynthia, at 154-5254 or Vonage (956) 467-5292. You can email to clynch@UTPA.edu.

Helping rural women to stay in school
By Joan Strouse

Mujeres en Cambio Luncheon
Thu, July 24, 2pm
Hacienda de las Flores
Hospicio 16
120 pesos, advance tickets needed

One of the 160 rural young Mexican women who receives a scholarship from Mujeres en Cambio tells her story in her own words:

“My name is Lupe and I am from a ranch about 37 km from San Miguel. I live with my father and mother and my two younger brothers. Pablo, my older brother, had to move away to find work and my older sister, Carina, is married and lives near us. My father got hurt doing construction work three years ago and cannot work any more. My mother works sometimes at the little store in our town when they are busy and need her.

“The high school I go to is a 25-minute walk from my house except during the rainy season when it can take a lot longer to get there. My favorite subject in school is history; I like learning about famous Mexican people and knowing more about my country. Math is easy for me. I don’t always have enough time for my homework because I have to help clean the house and take care of our goats and chickens after school. Sometimes I look after my youngest brother, too.

“Having a Mujeres en Cambio scholarship for three years now has made it easier for me to go to school. I use the money to pay my tuition, to buy my school books and I also used it to get a new school uniform earlier this year because I grew. My grades are 9.7. My mother, father and grandmother are all very proud of my good grades. They encourage me to study more. My grandmother never got the chance to go to school, so she does not know how to read or write. I am her favorite grandchild because I can read her official government papers to her. I think she has 17 grandchildren now.

“I will graduate from my high school next year and then I don’t know what I will do. I’d like to study more if I can so that I can get a good job.”

Please join us for lunch on Thursday, July 24, to learn more about the work we do to help students like Lupe and others achieve academic success. The guest chef will be Donnie Masterton from The Restaurant. He will be rousing our taste buds with an exquisite meal of pan-seared garlic chicken with sun-dried tomatoes. Core members will provide salads and desserts. Tickets need to be purchased in advance and are now available at Casa de Papel, Mesones 57A (the China Palace building). Please purchase your tickets early as they do sell out.

If you would like to know more about Mujeres en Cambio, please visit our website www.mujeresencambio.com or contact Joan at 152-2820 (please note that no phone reservations can be taken).


Mujeres en Cambio “At a Glance”

Objective: To help rural young Mexican women gain an education and thus foster their self-sufficiency, self-esteem and self-respect.

Membership: Entirely composed of volunteers, who plan and organize fundraising events to provide educational scholarships.

Scholarships: We currently support 160 students, promising young women recommended by their school’s principal and teachers. Continued receipt of a scholarship is dependent upon maintaining good grades. Annual high school scholarships are US$275. College students receive US$1,000 annually.

Finances: We raise and pay out approximately US$75,000 per year. Administrative costs are nearly zero since most are funded by members. Exceptions include our legally required accountanting and legal fees.

Legal status: We are a legally established nonprofit organization under Mexican law. US tax-deductible donations may be made through San Miguel Community Foundation.

Obamafest is coming in September
By Bruce Rossley

Fundraiser
Sanmiguelenses for Obama
Thu, Sep 25, 5–8pm
Private residence
(Address to be announced)
Donation 150 pesos or US$15

A group of San Miguel residents who are supporting Senator Barack Obama for President have formed Sanmiguelenses for Obama. The group is planning an Obama fundraiser, “Obamafest,” on September 25, at a large private residence within walking distance of the Jardín (address to be announced later). Tickets will be available at central locations which will be announced in early August in Atención.

Obamafest features delicious botanas, a no-host bar, a fabulous silent auction, raffle of a special gift, charming door prizes, music and more. It will afford San Miguel US citizens and dual citizens an opportunity to make contributions to the Obama campaign without giving credit card information online.

A donation will be requested from all attendees, and all funds will be forwarded to the Obama campaign in the US. For attendees wishing to contribute more than 150 pesos, cash contributions and checks drawn on US banks will be accepted at the event. Contributors making donations in excess of US$200 will be asked to complete a card, requiring their names and addresses, to comply with US campaign finance laws.

The organizations Democrats Abroad and Republicans Abroad are prohibited by campaign finance laws from sponsoring fundraising events. San Miguel Democrats Abroad is sponsoring a major voter registration drive and assisting San Miguel residents in requesting absentee ballots.

Terry Daugherty, who chaired the 2004 Democratic Presidential Campaign fundraiser four years ago, also chairs this event. He says, “Four years ago, we held what was called one of the most successful campaign fundraisers outside the US. This year, we hope to surpass that event and show that Americans in San Miguel wholeheartedly support Senator Obama. Save the September 25 date, tell your friends and consider volunteering for a fundraising committee.” Anyone wishing to volunteer is urged to call Daugherty at 154-7003. Volunteers are needed for tickets, advertising, food, bar, decorations, party activities and clean up.

Bruce Rossley is co-chair of the San Miguel Red Cross Association, vice-chair of San Miguel Democrats Abroad and a member of the National Executive Committee of Mexico Democrats Abroad. He has been a resident of San Miguel for six years.

Local Democrats celebrate Fourth of July

A crowd of almost 200 people squeezed into Milagros restaurant for the annual Fourth of July celebration sponsored by the San Miguel Chapter of Democrats Abroad.

While patiently waiting for hot dogs and hamburgers, they had a chance to hear from local chair Gretchen Sullivan about upcoming election plans and had an opportunity to request their absentee and vote-from-abroad ballots.