ARE YOU A RESIDENT OR VISITOR IN PUERTO VALLARTA, RIVIERIA NAYARIT AND BANDERAS BAY

AND INTERESTED IN YOUR HEALTH & WELLBEING?  IF SO….

SAVE THE DATE – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2010

FOR:

 “MEDICAL SERVICES EXPOSITIONS & HEALTH & WELL BEING MINI SEMINARS”

COST?:       FREE…to residents and visiting public.

WHEN?:  Monday, November 22, 2010 from 9am – 7pm.

WHERE?: Hotel Marriott CasaMagna – Marina Vallarta.  (Free parking)     

WHO?:   Sponsored by – Hotel Marriott CasaMagna, HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta and the U.S. Consular Agent have teamed up to organize this community health care event.

WHY?:   To provide the community with information regarding the options for services for their day-to-day wellbeing and emergency health care.   Representatives from 40+ local and international hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and ambulance and healthcare companies; including traditional and complementary medicine and other healthcare and wellbeing service providers will mount informative expositions which can be explored throughout the day at your leisure.  You will have the opportunity to consult service providers directly and address personal questions about living and staying healthy in Mexico.

To keep the community informed, throughout the day join us for mini-seminar series of talks and demo’s on a wide array of health and wellbeing related topics; how to battle the retirement blues to heart healthy cooking demos, from the latest on dengue fever to helpful tips on skincare in the tropics…and much, much, more.  Look for complete detail and schedule in the coming months.

Local healthcare providers who are interested in participating may contact Pamela Thompson (Pamela@healthcareresourcespv.com) for further information.

Bowling is viewed by many as just a way for overweight, beer-drinking guys working dead-end nine to five jobs to blow off steam. This has caused it to be the butt of jokes and an object of satire on television and in movies. Of course, for those who enjoy bowling, the basis for this reputation might be part of its appeal. Although some might argue otherwise, bowling is a sport in that it involves physical exertion and competition.  

After fifteen Wednesday’s, 25,000 frames and 260,305 pins knocked down, the PVRPV Summer Bowling League at Puerto Vallarta’s Bolerama has come to a successful end.  The fun, frivolity and friendship continued one last time (August 12, 2010) for the season-end recognition party at the very popular Café de Roma and our hosts Fox, Jorge, Juan Carlos and Edgar.

The evening started with a 50/50 raffle coordinated by master salesperson, Miguel Velázquez, who generated well over 3000 pesos.  1500 pesos were donated on behalf of the PVRPV League to Families at the Dump, an organization that began back in 2006 with the Developer of Paradise Village Resort to provide physical, educational, medical, spiritual and emotional support to the families living in the garbage dump and surrounding areas.  The additional 1500 pesos were eagerly presented to Bill Kelly.

Following the drawing, bowling awards were presented to:

MOST IMPROVED BOWLERS

1. Santiago Tello Ruiz
2. Victor Quiroz
3. Jorge Cadena   
4. Francisco Javier Garcia
5. Lori Lorenzen
6. Leighton Devine
7. Angel Cocula Reynoso
8. Wally Demary Jr.
9. Oscar Cabrera
10. Jakob Walder

 TOP BOWLERS

1.  John Power
2. Gary Green
3. Angel Cocula Reynoso
4. Dana Scapa
5. David Schwendeman

TOP TEAMS

1. The Dream Team
2. Split or Swallow
3. Amigas
4. The Bowling Stones
5. The Sonics
6. The Fantastic Four
7. Mexlend Martillos
8. Pacifico Lovers
9. Casa Cupula
10. Pin Jocks

Steve Snyder from The Sonics captured the title of Most Likely Not to Become a Professional Bowler Award.

While Pins in Paradise captured the Royal Flush Award for “bringing up the rear” over the 15 week session.

Gabriel Atondo Herran stole the Most Spirited Award for his seaon-long cheerleading efforts.

Edson Rodríguez, Yadira Aréchiga and the wonderful staff at Puerto Vallarta’s Bolerama, next to Club Collage, were appropriately recognized for their hospitality and giant pat on the backs were extended to Paloma Bartz, Alma Salgado, Miguel Velázquez, James Myers and Tim Longpré and his entire PVRPV team for their support over the past several months.

Following the ceremony, a karaoke head-to-head challenge took to the stage with songs from the Eagles, Dionne Warwick, Sublime, Luis Miguel and more! Arturo Calderón “wowed” the crowd (and especially the judges) to capture “top honors” and garnered the 1,000 pesos top cash prize. 

Friends of the league including Sr. Fox from Café Roma – Old Town, Denise Derameé from Banderas News for all her support, Ray Dion from Promovision, Joseph Kandoll Photographer – First Bowling Night, Oscar Cabrera – Bowling Nights Photographer & Wrap Up Party Photographer, Jorge Ramírez were instrumental to the success of the league and hope that they would be supported for their dedication. A special thank you to our sponsors Arturo Ornelas from Emotion – Galerias Vallarta, Martha Parra from Lukumbé Café – Fluvial, Karina Eboli from Starbucks – Península, Nina Goodhope from– La Bodega Nina, Martín Mendoza from The Blue Massage Spa – Romantic Zone, Gary Green from Andales on the Bay – Olas Altas.

Due to the popularity of the Summer League, organizers have started a new league that begins on October 6^th 2010 and ends on April 20^th 2011.  The weekly cost is only $115 pesos and includes three games of bowling, shoe rental, season-end awards, league party and more!  Space is limited.  Contact Tim at Tim@pvrpv.com or Paloma at Info@pvrpv.com for more information.

Video by Ray Dion from www.promovisionpv.com

The final balls were thrown and pins knocked down last Wednesday at Bolerama Vallarta, as the first summer bowling league wrapped up. Lots of lofting balls coming down hard on the lanes, slow shots slowly knocking pins down as if in slow motion, curve shots that amazingly recovered from almost being in the gutter, we saw it all this summer! Lots of turkeys, lots of dancing, and at least one player sliding down the lane after his ball!

All in all a lot of fun was had by the 14 teams, 56 players, and numerous celebrity substitutes that all helped make the summer league a big success! A big thanks goes out to all the players who participated, Tim at PVRPV for his hard work on organizing, Alma and Miguel and Paloma of PVRPV for assisting every night, and especially to Edson and his team at Bolerama Vallarta, who kept the lanes working and drinks and snacks flowing week after week!

There was quite a bit of competition between several top players and teams, with the top positions being swapped a few times in the final weeks of the league. The top average recorded was an amazing 145.48 by John P Power and the top total pins was recorded by Angel Cocula with 5626, both with several players close behind. The top team knocked down over 20,000 pins! The names behind these amazing numbers will be announced at the big wrap up party on Wednesday!!!

The summer league wrap up party will be held next Wednesday at our usual bowling time of 7pm, downtown in Centro at Café Roma, beside the Rio Cuale. There will be awards and prizes handed out to many of the players. Please RSVP to Tim at tim@pvrpv.com or Paloma at info@pvrpv.com right away if you have not done so already! Bowlers and subs who played 3 or more times get in free and for non-players and bowling fans tickets are only $100 pesitos! Juice, beer and pizza is included! 100% of the money raised in the 50/50 draw will be used at the party!!!

A lot of talent was shown during the summer, and many top players are continuing on to the winter league starting in October. Please contact Tim at tim@pvrpv.com or Paloma at info@pvrpv.com if you are interested in participating!

See you all at the big wrap up party! Chuza! Chuza! Chuza!!!

Come join us in our first ever…

August 12th · 4:00pm – 6:00pm

At: 
Liana’s SazOn! Restaurant

Santuario 149 Corner of Paseo de Las Palmas, Barrio Santa Maria

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Awesome Jewelry Made in México, Silver-plated or 24k gold-plated and cut crystal jewelry and gorgeous rosaries of high quality and very affordable prices. Plus refreshments, coffees and delicious pastries and more available at reasonable prices. See you there!

DOOR PRIZES!!!
 
Great event to start your holiday shopping while the selection is plentiful and it will give you time to place an order for personally designed pieces. Sit and relax over coffee or other beverages and enjoy a tasty treat while viewing the selection and meeting Liana, Tom and Alex.
 
For info or RSVP:
 
niniviteminister@hotmail.com
lianasea@msn.com
 
2239819
2225133
3221201841
www.vallartacatering.com
www.flickr.com/photos/cristalex

World Little League history:

Founded in 1939 as a three team league in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Little League Baseball encouraged local volunteers to organize and operate Little League programs that were annual chartered through Little League International. Each league structured itself to best serve the children in the area in which the league operates. Several specific divisions of Little League baseball and softball are available to children ages 5 to 18.

The organization’s administrative office is located in South Williamsport. The first Little League Baseball World Series was played in Williamsport in 1947. In 1953 the Little League World Series was televised for the first time. Jim McKay provided the play by play for CBS and Howard Cosell provided play by play for ABC radio.

In 1957 Angel Marcias pitched a perfect game and Monterrey, Mexico became the first team from outside the United States to win the Little League World Series. In 1969 Taiwan began a dominant era that would see them win 17 Little League World Series titles but saw none of the youngsters reach the major leagues.

In 1960 a team from West Berlin, West Germany was the first team from Europe to play in the Little League World Series. The series was broadcast live for the first time on ABC and Little League had grown to 27,400 teams in more than 5,500 leagues.

Currently there are seven International regions other than the United States. Canada is one region, Latin America spun off into Mexico and the Caribbean regions, the Far East split into the Asia and Pacific and the Europe region spun off the transatlantic region. The whole world is playing Little League.

Puerto Vallarta Little League History and Present:

Puerto Vallarta had a somewhat thriving Little League about 15-20 years ago but due to economic reasons as well as the fact that 1000 miles south of the U.S. border, soccer was the prominent game played, the league folded.

In January of 2008, the Peters family from the San Francisco, California area brought a donation of baseball equipment with them on their vacation targeted for the youth of Puerto Vallarta that couldn’t afford to play baseball. After endless attempts to find a school or organization to donate the equipment to, Banderas News sports writer, Bob Cohen, was put in contact with Miguel Vargas in December of 2008.

For donations, sponsorships and further information we urge you to contact Bob Cohen at bob(at)banderasnews.com

Miguel was in the process of starting a Little League in PV and had all the paperwork and licenses necessary, but lacked baseball equipment and financial support for his non-profit venture. Miguel played Little League 20 years ago when Puerto Vallarta had a successful league, but it folded years ago due to lack of interest. Already registered with Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the headquarters of the World Little League, and acquiring State of Jalisco and local licenses, he had the proper start.

So, almost a year after the Peters made their generous donation of 20 aluminum bats, 20 baseballs, 15 baseball gloves, 20 team hats and two full sets of catcher’s gear, the top-quality equipment they donated was put to good use and Puerto Vallarta’s Little League was reestablished.

After announcing the return of Puerto Vallarta’s Little League in a December 2008 article, we began receiving letters from people around the world who wanted to get involved. The first was from Jerry Bianchi of Denver, Colorado, who brought a van full of equipment he solicited in January, 2009. It was enough to field over 125 kids and the first new Little League began play in February of 2009.

We needed money to buy the uniforms and pay for other league expenses and we sought out sponsors. The sponsoring businesses or individuals had their name on the uniforms and a banner hung in the outfield, providing extremely inexpensive advertising. BanderasNews.com and other local print periodicals also followed the league when competition began which provided even more exposure to sponsors. About half of the sponsors were local businesses and half were individuals that wanted to give an opportunity for the youngsters to play, some that live in Puerto Vallarta part-time and a couple that read the stories online and just vacation here once a year.

But more importantly, everyone’s support provided endless benefits for these kids, who will develop the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical well-being by participating in Little League Baseball.

In late 2009 after crowning a champion over the summer, the drive was on for donations and sponsors for the second year. We were able to accomplish the feat again and again Jerry brought his van down loaded with equipment.

Early in the season due to personal reasons Miguel, who served as the league president decided to step down and Osiris Garcia and Blanca Cisneros who were involved as parents the previous year, stepped up to the plate. Blanca, who is totally bi-lingual was voted in as President, Osiris coached two teams and was the Director of Player Development and of course Bob Cohen was the Director of Public Relations.

Blanca and Osiris were instrumental in also starting a quite popular T Ball League for kids ranging for 5-8 and they eventually outgrew the T and had their coached pitch to them. Osiris has been training kids of all ages at 4PM every weekday since late winter and when the All Star selections were announced there were extra practices.

At this point we want to make it clear that nobody gets paid except the umpires abiding with Little League international rules. Also we need more hands on help for our upcoming season as this became a full time job for a few. Parents have offered assistance and we will surely utilize them.

In May of 2010, the City of Puerto Vallarta was asked to host the State of Jalisco 9-10 year old All Star weekend. This was an honor and also historic for our city and we passed with flying colors due to the hard work of Blanca, Osisris, Bob and more importantly a whole bunch of volunteer parents. That was the biggest difference in our first and second season. The parents became more involved and for many games the stands were full of howling parents rooting for their kids and teams.

Two of the eight teams that traveled here would win the right to play in the Mexican Regional’s held in a northern state. After that the winner would play for the Mexican Championship and at the 9-10 year old level, the ultimate winner played for the Latin American Championship.

The following week our 11-12 year old All Stars traveled to Guadalajara for the All Star weekend. This is the age group that eventually televises the Little League World Series after five rounds of winning playoff divisonals, regionals, nationals and finally to Williamsport.

Our kids didn’t get to advance but they did quite an admirable job. In our second year we faced powerhouses such as Guadalajara who has had an extensive Little League system in place for many years and also has quite a large player pool to choose from. The kids then finished the local playoffs and the younger division was won by the PV Yankees, who won a big rivalry with the Mexlend Martillos. The older division was won by BanderasNews.com who defeated Teatro Limon in another rivalry.

After our second season I never would have thought the league would be as advanced and functional as it is, but due to the hard work (but fun work) of many, the kids got the benefit of playing and just maybe in a few years we will be watching a Puerto Vallarta Little League team on international TV playing for the World Championship.

Click here for more information in regards to the PVRPV Show us your T-shirt Contest to support the Puerto Vallarta’s Little League Baseball >>> http://www.pvrpv.com/contest/

Grupo Ecológico de Puerto Vallarta, A.C.

Programs for adoption of dogs and cats. Volunteers and animal handling equipment needed. Forms available in English and Spanish for making an ecological complaint to local authorities. Contact R.C. Walker 222-0897 rc_walkermx@yahoo.com.mx.

 Navy League

The Puerto Vallarta Navy League offers help in the transportation of donated supplies and equipment from the USA to the Banderas Bay area via the US Navy’s ‘Hand Clasp’ Program. In addition, crew members donate part of their shore leave to paint and do maintenance on local schools, orphanages and rehabilitation centers. For more information, contact Jerry Lafferty at (322) 221-6156 or Jeff Miltenberger at navyleague@prodigy.net.mx.

PEACE

(Protection, Education, Animals, Culture & Environment) is a Banderas Bay non-profit endeavor that acts as an umbrella organization for Casa Comunidad, Ayuda Los Animales, (Help The Animals) a Women’s Co-Op, (Manos de Mujeres Unidas) and Community Pride. Offering free community service programs such as animal spay and neuter clinics and English classes for children and adults, PEACE is a U.S. non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and a Mexican Civil Association that issues facturas for donations. Please contact us for more information at nicole@peacemexico.org.

PV Little League

Help support Little League Baseball in Puerto Vallarta. A nonprofit organization, Little League Baseball is dedicated to helping kids develop the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical well being. But here in Puerto Vallarta, they cannot afford to play! Team sponsorships, baseball equipment and financial support are needed. Contact Bob Cohen at bob@banderasnews.com.

Vallarta Botanical Gardens

Gardens were founded in 2004 and was opened to the public in 2005. Our Vision: to build Mexico’s greatest botanical garden here in the enchanted highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Our staff is dedicated to the research and education of plant life, as well as showing the public all the beauty that nature has to offer. Donations to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens are tax deductible in the USA. For more information call (322) 223-6182 or email info@vallartabotanicalgardensac.org.

Children of the Dump

They leave Andales Restaurant every Monday at 2pm (return around 430pm). Always need volunteers and supplies. Call or email Gary Green gary@greenandassociates.org (322) 150-7214.

Pasitos de Luz

Non-profit organization dedicated to achieve the rehabilitation of children with physical and intellectual disabilities as well as taking care of their basic needs. For more information please contact us at 2994146 with Luis Alonso Téllez or Mario Martínez; and 2993625 / 2993605 with Luz María Ramos or Yolanda Sánchez or at fundraising@pasitosdeluz.org / administracion@pasitosdeluz.org.

PVRPV is conducting its first Show Us Your Shirt! Contest. In these 5 years in business we have given away more than 10,000 shirts to our clients and now Tim has started a search to find out where have all our shirts gone?

We will be presenting the best, most original and craziest pictures in our website and you will be able to vote for your favorite. The voting will start on November 1^st and we will announce the winners on January 3^rd 2011.

The prizes for the first places will be:

1^st Place

1 weeklong stay at Casa Playa in the luxury Molino de Agua Residences on Los Muertos Beach with availability for up to 6 guests – Estimated value: $3,000.00 USD

2^nd Place

Full Gourmet Dinner Service for 6 at Teatro Limón (doesn’t include liquors and gratuities) – Estimated value: $3,450.00 pesos

3^rd Place

Gift basket from Xocodiva, Artisan Chocolates – Estimated value: $1,200.00 pesos

4^th Place

Gift Certificate from Banana Cantina – Estimated value: $1000.00 pesos 

The Show Us Your Shirt! PVRPV Contest is open to all of our PVRPV clients, owners and friends and will run from now until October 31^st 2010 at midnight. So put on your shirt and start taking pictures, if you don’t have one, there’s no problem! You can drop by our main office and buy one, the cost is $90.00 pesos and all the monies raised will go directly to support Puerto Vallarta’s Little Baseball League.

For more information click here: http://www.pvrpv.com/contest/

And what better than to win a week in the luxurious Molino de Agua Residences while helping a good cause and having fun!!

EXTRACT FROM DOUG COPP’S ARTICLE ON THE ‘TRIANGLE OF LIFE’

My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world’s most experienced rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an earthquake.

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and I am a member of many rescue teams from many countries.

I was the United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years. I have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985, except for simultaneous disasters.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene, unnecessary and I wondered why the children were not in the aisles. I didn’t at the time know that the children were told to hide under something. I am amazed that even today schools are still using the “Duck and Cover” instructions- telling the children to squat under their desks with their heads bowed and covered with their hands. This was the technique used in the Mexico City school.

Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what I call the ‘triangle of life’. The larger the object, the stronger, the less i t will compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the ‘triangles’ you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building.

TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1) Almost everyone who simply ‘ducks and covers’ when buildings collapse ARE CRUSHED TO DEATH. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.

2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. That position helps you survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.

3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexib le and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs. Concrete slab buildings are the most dangerous during an earthquake.

4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.

5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.

6) Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse i s kill ed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jamb falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!

7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different ‘moment of frequency (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads? horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn’t collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.

8 ) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible – It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked..

9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and lying in the fetal position next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.

10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.

In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. The Turkish Federal Government, City of Istanbul, University of Istanbul Case Productions and ARTI cooperated to film this practical, scientific test. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did ‘duck and cover,’ and ten mannequins I used in my ‘triangle of life’ survival method. After the simulated earthquake collapse we crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the results.
 
The film, in which I practiced my survival techniques under directly observable, scientific conditions, relevant to building collapse, showed there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover.Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was seen in the USA, Canada and Latin America on the TV program Real TV.
 
Spread the word and save someone’s life… The entire world is experiencing natural calamities so be prepared!

There would likely have been 100 percent survivability for people using my method of the ‘triangle of life.’ This film has been seen by millions of viewers on television in

Doug Copp

Show Us Your Shirt! PVRPV wants to know where all of our PVRPV t-shirts have gone! See http://www.pvrpv.com/contest/  for more details!

Hola all!

A few things to keep you all updated on PEACE and what we are doing in the PV area. . .

First of all, there is a large animal rights march being organized for this Saturday at 10am at Los Arcos on the Malecon. Various organizations and groups from the Puerto Vallarta area are getting together with local community members to show their support of animal rights. There are several “marches” happening in other cities in Mexico, Spain and Argentina and we simply want to make a statement locally.

They are asking everyone to wear white shirts, please NO pets and to arrive at 10am. The march will be from Los Arcos to Rosita Hotel and back. Some groups will be there all day, but many people will simply join them in the morning. Please support this worthy cause and join us!!

Also, we will be hosting our weekly beach clean-up this Sunday at 9am in front of Oscar’s restaurant on Isla Rio Cuale. We will meet for an hour or so and hope to clean up the whole area. If you are interested, please email me at nicole@peacemexico.org.

THANK YOU!!!

In Peace – Nicole Majewski – Community Relations Director
www.peacemexico.org