Loads of Performers at Vallarta Cares Fundraiser
An American couple stopped me in front of the V399 condo a couple of days ago. I am always happy to help anybody with directions, but this woman said, “I am pretty sure I took a picture of you at Casita and Garden, so, can you hang on a minute?” as she scrolled through hundreds of photos on her phone. She found it, and yep, that’s me sitting at Casita & Garden. She never saw my face, and I was most certainly not wearing the same clothes (yikes!), but she recognized me somehow. She said she planned to enlarge the photo and hang it in her house when she and her husband return to Wisconsin. I handed her a business card, and she sent me the photo. Thanks, Connie from Wisconsin; perhaps we will meet again!
Scrabble ended up two and two, then Bingo for Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic was a bust. Again. Ugh. I fairly ran up the street to Avida, where Georgia Darehshori’s fundraiser for Vallarta Cares was well underway. Loads of performers sang, danced, and played piano and guitar; famous Casa Karma’s hors d’oeuvres were passed, and money was made to help the farmers restore their land recently burned in dangerous wildfires. Vallarta Cares co-founder Frankie Victoria eloquently spoke about where the money was going. I, for one, have rarely thought beyond the initial damage – house burns down, so a new place to live is paramount. Vallarta Cares is looking to repair the indeed scorched earth with water and nutrients to quickly restore the soil to be seeded with grass so the farmers can feed their cattle, which will give us milk to make that fabulous El Tuito cheese we love. This is work that goes way beyond slapping on band-aids.
Vallarta Cares has grown immeasurably from a COVID-era food bank to a disaster relief team. They have soared way beyond ladling soup to the hungry, although that is still necessary; now, their facility offers health care, education, a place where those in need can have a hot shower while their clothes get washed, and so much more. You can help with your time, energy, expertise, and money.
I left Georgia’s long before the party was over and made it to the Gay+Community Center to see Jive Erotica, a film made 40 years ago by Joyce Pate. Dealing with abuse, sexual and otherwise, Jive Erotica is Joyce’s gift to 85% of all women, precisely, and the world in general on ways to heal. And, the movie will be shown at this year’s Montreal Film Festival; a validation for Joyce, who has tried to be heard and seen for four decades.
The Gay+Community Center will show Jive Erotica again on May 13, a week before Gay Pride kicks off; I will remind you!
I am so looking forward to hearing Don and Rhonda tonight at Nacho Daddy. These two consummate musicians, who lived and performed in Vallarta years ago, will offer Popular Canadian music from the Old Country for our listening pleasure. A full band bringing delightful music from Bryan Adams, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and so much more. See you there.