Last weekend I was fortunate to stumble upon a noteworthy event that warmed my heart... The Mazatlán Art and Soup Tour.

I knew it was a fundraiser, but for what? I did say stumble, didn't I? To my delight, I discovered that it was an event where 100% of the proceeds went to Rancho De Los Ninos orphanage for handicapped kids. Wow, impressive to meet folks who have made it their goal to help such a noble cause. I met a wonderful couple who go by the name of Captain George. These folks have organized many of these functions in order to raise money for this ranch. I will do my best to show you the event, and end by telling you about the orphanage.

THE EVENT: Over 300 folks came, the tickets were sold out before the day of the function. La Isla Mazatlán Golden Resort Hotel donated the use of their spectacular grounds for the day while the Nauticlub Restaurant hosted local restaurants who served scrumptious soups and breads. The pride shown by the folks from Casa Loma, Topolo's, Macaws, FISH, Sr. Burrito, and Raggio's was fun. One server saw my expression while peering into his soup pot; laughing, he insisted that I try some. I did, and my senses went into a fog of delight. Each of these restaurants donated their mouthwatering meals. 

Eighteen local artists contributed their work... paintings, photos, jewelry, pastries, all the pieces worthy of going home with their new owner. Guests entered their tickets into buckets next to the art they liked, and held their breath with excitement until the end of the day when the raffle took place.

Twelve volunteers helped by serving soup, selling raffle tickets... even shuttling folks to and from the parking lot in golf carts. I was amazed to see the group effort, how relaxed everyone was, knowing that behind the scenes, there had to be an immense amount of planning to pull it off. 

Live music made my ears tingle with happiness, featuring Chris Buzan and Phil Cangelosi from Rock Creek Band along with Chuck from Honest John. Blue Grass next to the sea, what more could a music lover ask for? THE ORPHANAGE: Located in a small colonia called El Castillo in Mazatlán, Rancho De Los Ninos was founded in 2004. What was once a pig farm is now the home for 26 kids of all ages, including handicapped children. Some stay for years, some are reunited with family members or friends. If the ranch can't find a home with family, adoptive families are sought after... first in Mexico, then in the United States. If all of the above fail, the children stay at the home. Scholarships are available for the older kids, allowing them to pursue higher education. It's a loving environment, changing the lives of these children forever.
If you want to get involved, you can stay at the home for as long as one week, room and board included, and work on projects around the ranch. Contact Ed Barker at edwbarker@frontier.com to get all the information. You can help to change the lives of these children, while doing something remarkable for your soul.

An impressive 30,000 pesos went to the orphanage from the day! So I ask the question... What can you do with art and soup? Hmmm.  _______________________________________________________
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Also enjoy my feature in Mazatlán's monthly paper, the Pacific Pearl... http://www.pacificpearl.com/pdf/pacific-pearl/low-res.pdf
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You can read all about drama in my novels. Check them out at www.cmichaelsbooks.com, author of Twisted Thrillers.
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