A little bit of rain couldn’t dampen the spirit of the more than 200 people who attended Los Amigos de La Peñita’s Fiesta 2010 on Sunday, January 31 at Hacienda La Peñita – Thomas Bartlett’s internationally acclaimed estate.
Entertainment for the event was provided by the Puerto Vallarta Chamber Players, the talented East Indian dancer Adriana, flamenco guitarist Oscar Christian and his dance partner Rosabla and the Perez Brothers. Latitude 21 provided Oscar Christian and Rosabla and the remaining musicians generously donated their time. The event also featured our first live auction, as well as a silent auction, a hosted bar and finger foods.
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The fundraiser exceeded our expectations. Although final figures are still being calculated, it is expected that the event will generate net proceeds of almost $390,000 pesos, well in excess of our goal of $300,000 pesos.
We would like to thank our host, Thomas Bartlett for providing the inviting and welcoming ambience of his Hacienda La Peñita. Thanks are also due to the following special sponsors who stepped forward with generous donations to ensure that all of the monies raised through ticket sales and the auctions will go to support the work of Los Amigos: Casa Escaleras; Aceros Malboro; Ken Snyder and Mary Alice Ranta; Ben and Louisa Ussery; Bob Tripp and Peter Martin; Marco Antonio Meza Echevarria; Deb and Dana Drew; Friends from Saskatoon, Sask; Muro de La Penita; Ferremateriales Jaltemba and Ferreteria Peña.
Our thanks also go out to all of the individuals and businesses who donated items to the live and silent auctions, Chef Pablo and his staff at the Xaltemba Restaurant who prepared the food, Don Pedro who donated the liquor at cost and Mateja who donated the coolers. A list of the auction donors can be found at http://www.losamigosdelapenita.com/en/fiesta10-ackknow.htm
We also owe a dept of gratitude to the business and individuals who served as ticket outlets: Xaltemba Restaurant, Daniel’s Backstreet , Latitude 21, Bold Development, Hidden Paradise Real Estate, Casita de La Peñita, Posada Las Flores, Beach Dog Boarding & Salon, Allyson Williams, Christina Stobbs and Jerry Aschenbrenner.
A number of media outlets have been invaluable in helping to promote not only Fiesta La Peñita but the other activities that Los Amigos has been involved in over the winter. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Jaltemba Bay Folk, Jaltemba Sol, Jaltemba Times, Vallarta Lifestyles, Vallarta Tribune and the Banderas News for helping us get the word out.
This event would not have been possible without the Los Amigos members and other volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure the event was a success:
- Sydney Richmond, Gail Gafuik, Deborah Drew and Susan Schrandt for organizing and producing an extremely successful silent and live auction;
- Our ticket committee – Jeanie Mintzmyer, Bruce Hilton, Allyson Williams, Joyce Vanderstaak, Nora Dixon, Ian Richmond, Nelson Gothie and Christina Stobbs;
- The individuals who staffed our booth at the Tianguis, selling t-shirts, cookbooks and tickets and generally promoting Los Amigos – Bob Tripp, Ken Snyder, Vern Porter, Johan Nielsen, Peter Martin, Phil Champagne, Eric LeBlanc, Julianna Bay, Marion Rogers, Karen Martin, Paul Leger, Sherri Nordin and Olga Porter;
- Bob Gibbs and Zobeida Barrera Lozano for helping to recruit corporate sponsors;
- Peter Martin and Sherri Nordin who chaired our bar/set up committee and Sarah Walker, Ralph Reichert, Yvonne Brewster and Natalie West who helped out in this area;
- Eddie Dominguez, who did an admirable job as master of ceremonies and Vern Porter who served as our auctioneer;
- Karen Martin, who coordinated the food service in cooperation with the Xaltemba Restaurant;
- Deborah Drew for designing our tickets, pamphlets and posters and Dave Easby for helping to market the event;
- Tom Plattenberger and Jeanie Mintzmyer who helped capture the event on film; and
- The check out committee who handled the electronic credit card machine and cash and sorted out all the smears on the bid sheets: Bruce Hilton, Nelson Gothie, Dave Vaught, Allyson Williams and David Thompson; and
- The Planning Committee who held it all together – Bob Tripp, Ken Snyder, Jeanie Mintzmyer, Karen Martin, Peter Martin, Sherri Nordin, Deborah Drew, Sydney Richmond, Gail Gafuik, Bruce Hilton, Bob Gibbs, Tara Spears and Ralph Reichert.
And last, but certainly not least, we want to offer our heartfelt thanks to those of you who attended or just made donations and showed your support for Los Amigos.
Muchas, muchas gracias a todas!
Ken Snyder, International President
Zobeida Lozano Barrera, National President
Bob Tripp, Chairman, Fundraising Committee
More pictures of the event are posted on the Los Amigos Website (www.losamigosdelapenita.com).
