North Banderas Beat - November 24, 2012

Tile wall

Visitors to the Manos de Amor orphanage in Bucerias cannot fail to miss the 68 hand-painted tiles covering a portion of one courtyard-area wall.

Anne Milling, Jennifer Weber and her daughter Haley started the “Tiles For Hope” project three years ago as way of raising funds for the facility.

Weber says ordering a tile is a good way for someone or a family to honor a special person in their life or to celebrate a fond memory, such as an anniversary or birthday.

Each tile ordered will be hand-painted by Jennifer and Haley, from Guelph, Ontario, Canada, when they visit Bucerias in January for an unpaid “working vacation.”

Milling of New Jersey, who owns a ceramic and pottery studio and shop in Bucerias, donates the tiles and fires the finished squares in her kiln.

Weber hopes that spreading the word about the project during the Christmas season will bring in lots of orders.  Right now she has 53 tiles to work on in January, but her goal is to be kept busy painting around 100.

She adds that there is no minimum or maximum donation amount for a tile.

Manos de Amor relies solely on fundraising projects, such as bazaars and the huge annual Rhythm N’ Ribs fiesta, as well as individual donations throughout the year, to generate the money needed to operate and maintain the orphanage.

For more information about the tile wall project, go to www.tilesforhope.com or the Manos de Amor orphanage website at www.manosdeamor.com.

Christmas fundraiser

2012 will be the 19th year that local residents Ron and Arlene Tackett (“Mr. and Mrs. Santa”) will organize the Bucerias Children’s Christmas Program.

They are assisted by a volunteer band of merry elves, who wrap and distribute presents and bags of candy to scores of area children who might not otherwise have a Christmas to celebrate.

The presents, which are gathered throughout the year or purchased closer to Christmas with money donated by caring individuals, are separated into gender and age-appropriate categories, prior to “distribution day” – Christmas Eve.

Over the years, the number of children receiving Christmas gifts has grown to about 1,300.

A fundraiser will be held on Thursday, December 13, at the Drunken Duck in Bucerias, from 2 to 6 p.m. It will feature music by the Redneck Mothers band from Barra de Navidad, and a raffle with “lots of good prizes,” according to Tackett.

For more information and tickets (300 pesos each, available after November 26, at YoYoMo’s or the Drunken Duck) contact Arlene Tackett, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ,  tel. 329-298-1729 and Wendy Allen, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ,  tel. 322-221-2827.

Cat shelter

A recent email S.O.S. received from Janina Erban, the founder of Paraiso Felino, a no-kill cat shelter in San Juan De Abajo, started out: “With the bank account empty we really need help.”

Erban says each day she uses 11 kilos of dry food, two large cans of cat food, as well as kitten food and milk. And that’s just the beginning of the shelter’s expenses.

Erban says she also needs to buy cleaning supplies, medicine and syringes, and pay for vet visits and transportation, spay/neuter clinics and adoption days, not to mention water and electricity.

Respiratory diseases increase as the winter season approaches, she says, so vaccines – costing around 70 pesos per dose – are important right now.

“We are depending on the donations of kind-hearted people to make ends meet,” Erban says.

Paraiso Felino accepts donations of kitty litter and newspaper, as well.

Cash donations can be deposited in their account at Banorte bank, with Paypal  (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or in person at Paraíso Felino in San Juan De Abajo, a few miles inland from the coast of the north shore.

For more information call Erban at 322-120-4092 (cell).

Library book sale

Biblioteca Rey Nayar, also known as the Bucerias Children’s Library, will hold a used book sale to benefit the library at Bungalows Arroyo on Wednesday, November 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Contact Jeanne Thompson or Barry Munro at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if there are books that you would like to donate to the library or bring them to the sale in person.

The 2013 edition of the popular library calendar will also be sold.

For more information or to volunteer at this event or for any library activity, contact Rita Kollock at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Rockin’ at the Yacht Club

A 90-minute, high energy performance by Kassiano will have you dancing and clapping in the aisles at the Vallarta Yacht Club in Nuevo Vallarta on Monday, December 10.

Jamaican born performer Kassiano, accompanied by his long time keyboard player and vocalist Julie Murillo, will showcase their mix of reggae, meringue and salsa.

Hors d’oeurves will be served in the club starting at 6 p.m. The concert will start promptly at 7:30 pm.

A no-host bar will be available before the show and during intermission. A hosted dessert course will be served during the intermission.

Only 150 tickets will be sold for this performance. Tickets are 375 pesos for VYC members and guests of members and 400 pesos for non-members.

Tickets are already on sale at the Vallarta Yacht Club in Nuevo Vallarta and Todo Vela Mexico in La Cruz.

For more information, call Rudy or Daniel at the Vallarta Yacht Club, 322-297-2222. It is located in Nuevo Vallarta, adjacent to the boat ramp at Paradise Village Marina.