Guadalajara Reporter

Community events from Lakeside.

Kitties need a home

Two beautiful white long-haired cats – a male and female, each about two years old – are looking for a new home. Their owner Barbara Downing is moving back to the United States and has no way to care for them there. The pair have had all of their shots and have both been “fixed,” Leo has a big personality and loves to be outside and Fifi is fond of “fetching” rolled up balls of paper, but they are both basically indoor cats. Downing will give the new owner a six-month supply of food, their beds, a scratching post and toys. Since they have been together since birth, Downing feels that they should stay together and would best be placed in a home with no other animals. They would make wonderful companions for someone. For more information, contact Downing at 766-2896.

Closed

The Lake Chapala Society (LCS) will be closed on Christmas Eve (Thursday, December 24) and Christmas Day (Friday, December 25). The society will also be closed on New Year’s Eve (Thursday, December 31) and New Year’s Day (Friday, January 1).

The old folks

In spite of its recent trials and tribulations, the Casa de Ancianos is still open and providing care to many elderly people. Community liaison Marlene Dunham wishes to thank many people who have donated time, effort and products to make life better for the residents there. She thanks Steve Cross and Fernando Gomez Alvarez of Casa de las Flores B & B, Stephanie Hall, Rafael Cardenas Aguilar, Jan Van Wanbundi, Cayetano Cardenas Aguilar, Donald Lawless, Esther Maragued L., the Lake Chapala Society, Tony’s Meats, Tortilleria Nelly, Restaurant Guayabo, El Torito, Pasteleria Marissa, the Municipal Market and La Despensa.

Red Cross

Cruz Roja Mexicana Chapala is grateful to the generous donors in 2009 who have enabled the facility to install a back-up generator for use when power is interrupted, maintain minimum medical supplies and medicine inventories, appropriately maintain their ambulances and provide effective first response and medical attention to their local community inhabitants.

As a matter of fact, installing the 10,000-watt generator really paid off last week, according to Norm Pifer of the Cruz Roja Chapala Volunteers. On December 1, the installation was completed in a small bodega built to house it along with all the necessary wiring. December 15, the power went out in Chapala and the generator kicked in without missing a beat, avoiding any interruption in service at the emergency facility.

The Cruz Roja Experienced Workers (Cruz CREW) have been working hard this month. Pancho Deriger, incoming vice president of the volunteers, along with his crew, worked tirelessly painting, caulking and cleaning the inside and outside of the training and meeting building. Bill and Gillian Whitehead purchased material and made new curtains. With the Chapala Cruz Roja Delegacion employees doing the heavy work and moving furniture, everything was completed in two days.

The Cruz Roja International Volunteers meet the first Wednesday of each month at the Lake Chapala Society and welcome everyone willing to help in 2010’s fundraising activities to support the ambulance and emergency medical clinic that serves everyone at Lakeside. Statistics through the middle of December point toward a patient treatment level of more than 1,000 in this month alone.

For more information, speak with any volunteer or stop at the Cruz Roja table at LCS.

Unitarians

The service for the December 27 meeting of the Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will be “New Beginnings: Reflections on a New Year.” The Fellowship meets at 10:30 a.m. at the Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation facility at Santa Margarita 113 in Riberas del Pilar.

Presbyterians

A special Christmas Eve event on Thursday, December 24 is set for 3 p.m. A Christmas cabaret by Sydney Gay and her puppets will present a humorous, Christian adult message. Seating is limited to 100 people and the doors will close promptly at 3 p.m.

Paul Fisher will speak on “The past, the future and the present,” on December 27 at the regular service.

The service on January 3 will include Communion and will be preached by Reverend Steve Robertson.

Lakeside Presbyterian Church is located at Carretera Chapala-Jocotepec 231A in Riberas del Pilar and welcomes everyone. For further information call Norm Pifer at 766-0616.

Anglicans

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Riberas del Pilar will hold a caroling service at 6:15 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The caroling will be followed by a worship service with Holy Communion at 7 p.m. There will be a bonfire following the service. Those attending are asked to bring potluck to share ... but nothing that needs cooking. Finger food is probably best.

There will be one worship service on Friday, December 25 at 10 a.m.

More services

The Lake Chapala Baptist Church at Santa Margarita 147 in Riberas del Pila rhas a Christmas Eve service, Thursday, December 24 at 6:30 p.m.

The Little Chapel by the Lake holds a candlelight service on Christmas Eve at 4 p.m.

San Andres Catholic Church on Ramon Corona in Ajijic holds a Christmas Day Mass in English at 9 a.m.