When Music Gives Back: A Festive Fundraising Roundup
The fundraising continues in earnest, with the Vallarta School for Girls and the kids at RISE benefiting from the last two events I attended. Los Mangos Library was again the scene of the Tropical Christmas party, which began late afternoon and continued with dancing to music by Kim Kuzma under the giant mango trees. Derek Carkner was the host again and unrelenting with the funny but corny jokes. Entertainers donated their time, plugged their shows, and enjoyed the light dinner that was cooked by the teachers and students – it was good! I saw Chef Roman Ventura cheerfully serving plates of food he had not prepared but volunteered to deliver.
Singer and guitarist Stolie has done outstanding work teaching the girls how to sing Christmas carols in harmony in English, Spanish, and ASL!
Delilah Beaucoup kicked off the entertainment with a few Annie Lennox/Eurythmics songs she will feature in her upcoming show at Coco Cabaret, which debuts Season Two on January 02. Kevin Anthony, Mau Jimenez, and Enrique de Allende got the crowd going. The bar was kept busy, of course, and the silent auction tables created a constant swirl of potential buyers checking the latest bids on all the donated items.
Kudos to all the volunteers who work so hard to ensure these events run smoothly and seem effortless. The setup of food equipment, tables, and chairs, then mapping that out so that people can be guided to their places with ease. Sourcing auction items and rounding up performers who are very busy this time of year, in particular, has to be daunting. It all appeared to be easy as pie, so everyone did their jobs well. Bravos!
Last night at Nacho Daddy, was a celebration fundraiser for RISE, the children’s shelter. Hosted by Gouda Gabor in a million red sequins and Nacho Granados, the variety show that ensued featured winners and runners-up from various years of the So, You Think You Can Rise? talent contest, which is no more.
Nicolas, 15, who studies the accordion with Dabit Azofeifa, teamed up with Angeloo, 12, for an impromptu duet that delighted everyone. Angeloo stepped out again with a seasonal-appropriate Ave Maria but Dimash-style. Outstanding. If anyone can figure out how to get a message to Dimash Qudaibergen overseas to let him know his prodigy is alive and well and living in Vallarta, and send him a recording of Angeloo singing S.O.S., our Angel will be set for life. I keep thinking of the sound of a Dimash and Angeloo duet…Ay, ay, ay.
If you have heard about the Social Club but haven’t been yet, this afternoon/evening at 6 pm is your chance! Join publisher Jerry Jones and his team from Out & About Puerto Vallarta magazine at the last Gay Mixer of 2025, upstairs at the mysteriously fabulous Social Club. Look for me and say hi – I will be the only straight woman there.
After that, Open Mic starts at 7:30 at Nacho Daddy, From Here.
