The Best Holiday Gift of All…Your Love for the Mexican Families in Need!!
Happy New Year Mexico!! What a 2013 we had, and are so thankful for all the great times we shared yet also remembering our losses of our loved ones like our late editor and friend, Tom O’Hare. Each year, we have so many opportunities to reach out and help another person in need. Many times it is a friend or an acquaintance or possibly a family member that is in need. But, more often it is someone we don’t even know that is really needing our smile, hello, hug, nod of the head or even a sincere, “How are you today? “ When we truly reach out to others, we will receive the message that we were destined to receive through our universe. Look around each day, be aware of who is around you, they are around you for a reason…and capture your moment to help, interact and grow from each other. You gain so much more by giving and there will be a day when we will all need to rely on another for receipt. Let’s all make it a goal to be present daily in 2014 and truly enjoy the moment and LIFE!
Eight years ago, my family seized our moment and started Personas Para Puerto Peñasco to help the poor living along the railroad tracks here in Rocky Point. The aid project has grown with each passing year with 2013 being an even bigger success than 2012. On January 29th, about 15 residents at Bella Sirena and I met to deliver the loads of food, clothing, household goods, blankets, toys, shoes and most of all love, directly to the needy living along the tracks. The delivery took a couple of hours as we snaked our way up and down the tracks delivering our haul to the overjoyed children, adults and families. One amazing gentleman from Bella Sirena donated 40 new large fleece blankets! Not to be out done, the great folks at WRECKED AT THE REEF consistently posted, emailed and received LOADS of blankets that must have been a Godsend for the folks living with little shelter in the cold winter nights.
The outpouring of love continued from an amazingly generous mortgage company in Arizona, Amerifirst Financial, Inc. The truck loads of donations and monetary gifts were flat out spectacular. I am so proud of you all! Our gang at Bella Sirena also was simply sensational with the amount of donations that were gathered and the time the volunteers gave to a great cause. It is awesome to live amongst such wonderful neighbors. Another super organization, Swim Neptune of Arizona (my kids’ swim club) sponsored the Personas Para Puerto Peñasco at one of their big swim tournaments last year. The generous support from Swim Neptune was terrific. Please forgive me if I left you out, God knows you are never left out and sees your actions, but I must make mention of some of the people that helped to contribute their time, energy and money to make an extra special Christmas for those in need. PPPP THANK YOU AWARDS go out to: Janet Certo, John Friese, Izzy Garcia, Gini Herbst, Nicole Hickey, Nate Herd, Paul Paliscak, David Ridgway, Andrea Mahnke, Rhett Laufenburger, Madonna Radeff, Scott Fenner, Ken Bowlby, Eric Bowlby, Mayne Niebla, Adriana Villegas, Zack Paliscak, Mary Hebsen, Berena Rangel, Amy Smith, Jeff Ehli, Jeff Rhodes, Robert Gilmour, Kelly Chavarria, Candie Niezgodzki, Cathy & Scott Poturalski, Jean Danzer, Allison Cahill, Michelle Fischer, Haley Fischer, Olivia Paliscak, Maureen Hickey, Larry Bergstrom, Roni Swanson, John Kozloff, Noel and Maria Williams, Maurina Pascale, Chantale & Joe Pascale, Barb & Gino (da mayor), Tom Roper, Stephanie Markl, Kathy Schiaras, Alicia Grajeda and last but not least God above that gave each of us the strength to reach out and change lives in our world today and help to create a positive chain reaction.
John Bunyan was quoted as saying, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” Great words and they are oh so true! May peace, joy and charity fill your 2014!! I look forward to seeing your toes in the sand and an umbrella in your drink on the best beach of all…Rocky Point!! ADIOS AMIGOS!!
