We Love Pop-up Giving

Focus on the Children

This community is small and the Canadians and Americans are preparing their migration north over the next month or so. Before that time, they have been sure to toss a few pesos our way!

On Friday, Ann Lockett and her cadre of volunteer artists put together another great art show at Senor Geckos. Many of the artists have been students' of Ann's over the years. It is so nice to live in a community of so many creative and talented people.

Saul, as usual, served excellent food to the crowd and the funds raised from booth fees and donations went directly to the Friends of Casa Hogar.

Ann Lockett presenting donation in her palapa studio to our own Suzanne Anderson

Fast-forward to Sunday and the third annual Coyote Beach Horseshoe Tournament. With participants from at least five countries and a perfect day on the playa the players voted at the opening ceremonies to donate their entry fees to Friends of Casa Hogar. The top throwers also donated their prize money to the children in hopes of making a difference in the lives of our Mexican friends.

All Smiles! The 2015 Champs - Deb & Swanee!

Second place - Mark & Luis -- Third place - Janelle & Jeff

A Perfect Day at the Beach

We talk a lot about the campers of Playa el Coyote on this blog for good reason.

Last December, Shannon Miller and the Friends of Casa Hogar arranged a “beach day” for the children. Shannon and her family frequently camp at Playa el Coyote, and they wanted to provide the children with an opportunity to enjoy the water, sand, and a crowd of loving adults.

It turned out to be the Best Day EVER! The kids had an absolute blast, seconded only by the tremendous joy the adults experienced.

The ripple effect from that short encounter has been astounding. In two short months, Coyote Beach dwellers have stepped up in a number of ways to enrich the children’s lives – and just not financially.

So we arranged for the kids to return to the beach for another perfect day of fun in the sun. Upon arriving last Saturday, they were greeted with Mardi Gras beads and cheering adults who were thrilled to see their smiling faces.

Searching for the perfect shell

Raven Gary organized a treasure hunt of collector-quality shells that he scattered along the shoreline. The children were given cups and some adult supervision, and everyone went home with a wonderful beach souvenir.

Some of the children were recently ill, so Laura was hoping to keep the children dry. She quickly gave up her losing battle, as the 85ºF, windless day was perfect for water play. As you might imagine, once the first little guy wandered in a bit too far with his rolled-up pant legs, the rest soon followed. Not to worry, they thought of everything. Paddle-boarding lifeguards were abundant.

There were plenty of kayaks, paddle boards, rafts, air mattresses and swim noodles for the kids to enjoy. Some squirt guns kept everybody wet after that.

The children also discovered that Coyote Beach is where Santa comes to spend his winters. Through the courtesy of “Santa Wayne,” they all got to decorate gingerbread cookies with him.

The beach community also provided a “kid friendly” potluck, and the children got to roast their hotdogs over an open fire. The sugar intake was a bit over-the-top with all of the desserts that were provided. So after lunch it was back to the sand and water to burn off the crazy energy before loading them up to go back to the casa.

That delightful day will likely remain an important memory of all involved for a long time. The Friends of Casa Hogar would like to thank the folks at Playa el Coyote for all of their efforts. They are making a difference in these children’s lives, and we want them to know it.

Hopefully you will enjoy our day through pictures as much as we enjoyed witnessing it.

The End

Dancing in the Rain!

So much is happening at Casa Hogar these days that it is hard to keep up!

In addition to the weekly routine of school, church and the like, the children have dentists, doctors, and hair stylists donating their time and expertise lately. You can learn more about this activity on our Facebook page.

The extended Mulege community continues to amaze us.

Bill, our volunteer builder, has been crafting shelving for storage. Word got out that a few of the children were under the weather, so a crate of fresh oranges suddenly appeared! Soon after, much needed winter clothes were donated.

Each gift was greatly needed, and the timing was impeccable.

In the meantime, isn’t it fun to dance in the rain? A spontaneous fund raising event popped up this past Saturday on Playa el Burro. Although there were times of torrential rain, a good time was had by all.

Fast Eddie and the Slow Learners and Bertha’s Beach Club Restaurant got together to host a benefit concert for Casa Hogar. Several other local musicians got in on the act and jammed as well.

A few of our favorite Coyote Beach personalities ran a 50-50 raffle that raised a lot of money (especially when the winners donate their winnings right back!) A local artist donated a painting for a silent auction.

Together the event raised a whole bunch of cash in just one afternoon.

As a result, Laura and the children will have groceries for the foreseeable future. In addition, we now have many more people who know about Casa Hogar.

Big gratitude goes out to all who were involved in this wonderful event.