“EBIVA” INTERNATIONAL EXPO BEAUTY VALLARTA 2010

• DATE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 and MONDAY, MARCH 1 2010
• LOCATION: PUERTO VALLARTA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER

There will be a variety of national and international brand products at the best prices of wholesale and retail.

There will be platforms where national and international stylists will present the latest trends in hairstyles, makeup, nails, massage and so on.

The ticket price is $ 250 pesos in pre-sales and $ 350 at the box office.

In buying the ticket, the person will be entitled to participate in a raffle for a prize valued at $100,000 pesos in cosmetic or spa furniture brand FAMUSA.

This event will benefit with a donation to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center SETAC, Puerto Vallarta. Those interested in the promotion and ticket sales will be getting a reward of 1 free ticket for every 10 sold.

For more information visit www.setac.com.mx and www.ebiva.com or phone (322) 130 8474 or (322) 224-1974.

A 2009 PBS NEWSHOUR REPORT:

Thousands of Americans are increasingly traveling to resort towns like Puerto Vallarta, in Mexico, not for vacation, but for the cheap health care. In many cases, reports Ray Suarez, for care they couldn’t afford in the United States.

In Part 2 of this series on Mexico, Ray Suarez examines how the government is lifting people out of poverty and inspiring nations throughout the world to do the same.

Sobriety Under the Sun: Alcoholics Anonymous 8th Annual English Speaking Convention in Puerto Vallarta January 29th-31st, 2010

by Bob Cohen

The local English speaking Alcoholics Anonymous Serenity Group will be hosting their 8th annual “Sobriety Under the Sun” AA convention at the NH Krystal Resort on January 29-31, 2010. This year’s theme will be “Mind, Body, Spirit”. The venue was so popular last year that it was unanimously decided to hold the convention at the Krystal again. Packages for those that wish to stay at the resort are available. Expected to attend are close to 400 recovering alcoholics and Al-Anon members, most coming from the United States and Canada, along with seasonal visitors and full time local Puerto Vallarta residents. Large speaker meetings, discussion groups, workshops, dinners and social events are all planned for the event.

There will be three main AA speakers and two from the Al-Anon program. The convention begins at 2 PM Friday with hourly AA and Al-Anon marathon meetings. On the opening night there will be a welcome reception with Hor d’Oeurvres, along with the opening night speakers, one from Al-Anon (Ellen C. from Dallas) at 7:15 PM and one from AA (Dayle P. from New York City) that will follow at 8:30 PM after a 15 minute break. At 10 PM there will be an Open AA Beach meeting.

On Saturday the day will start with a sunrise Open AA beach meeting at 8:00 AM and there will be ongoing marathon meetings and workshops (both AA and Al-Anon) from 10 AM until 5:00 PM. The sunset banquet and dinner will be at the Seven Columns Restaurant (tickets are required) with the main speaker and music following at 8:00 PM. The main speaker will be Tom W. from Oakland, CA. Register early, as the dinner always sells out early. At 10:00 PM entertainment will follow.

Sunday morning concludes the convention with another Open AA Beach meeting at 7:00 AM, followed by a continental breakfast at 8:00 AM. The Sunday morning spiritual meeting will be at 9:00 AM, followed by the traditional countdown of years in recovery. The Sunday morning speaker meeting will be a combination of the AA and Al-Anon programs at 10:00 AM. The AA speaker will be Lynn H. and the Al-Anon speaker will be Saraleah H., both from Mercer Island, Washington. The convention will come to a close at noon.

For those lucky enough to be staying longer there is a “Non-Booze Cruise” which was introduced three years ago and has become a favorite among members. This is an opportunity to spend the day at sea cruising and whale watching, then on to the small seaside village of Quimixto, unreachable by land, for an AA meeting on the beach. Breakfast and lunch are included. The cruise will be on Monday, February 1st and will depart the cruise ship terminal at 9:00AM and return at 6:00 PM. The cost will be $40 USD at the conference registration table or $45 USD at the dock. Seating will be limited to 150, so be sure to register early and not be left ashore.

For more information and registration forms as well as a detailed schedule of events visit the convention website as well at www.aapvconvention.com and navigate easily through the site to set up your conference itinerary. With the addition of Pay Pal last year it was easier to register for the conference, the banquets, and other related convention events and to book reservations at the NH Krystal Resort.

Seven years ago, a small group of local AA members formed a convention to celebrate their sobriety and invite the rest of the world to join in the celebration. Conventions are common all over the world and the group felt that Puerto Vallarta would be an ideal destination to host a convention. The first in 2002 was actually named “Soberfest 2002” and the name was changed to “Sobriety Under the Sun” the following year and was then sponsored by members of the Serenity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous in Puerto Vallarta. We are now celebrating Sobriety Under the Sun for the 8th year and each year attendance has increased.

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 by two alcoholics that found that one alcoholic can best help another after repeated trips to hospitals, jails and churches all failed in efforts to help hopeless alcoholics to stop drinking. In 1939, four years later the book Alcoholics Anonymous or the “Big Book”, as it is fondly called was released in print. Only 100 recovering alcoholics were members at the time and the first 164 pages of the book have remained unchanged. Currently, millions of once suffering alcoholics worldwide are now members and enjoy freedom without alcohol, and leading productive lives. Alcoholics Anonymous is known as perhaps the greatest movement of the 20th century that helps individuals at no cost. All groups are self supporting through meeting contributions.

The 75th anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous will be celebrated in San Antonio, Texas at its international convention to be held on July 1st – 4th, 2010, with the theme being “A Vision for You”. Upwards of 80,000 attendees are expected to flood the city. Hotel rooms in the San Antonio area close to the convention site have been booked for quite awhile and rooms in the area are selling out quickly. AA is currently found in almost every country in the world and the “Big Book” has been translated in almost every language.

Strange, but true, in Mexico the first group was an English speaking group formed by ex-pats in 1946, and it took ten more years before a Spanish speaking group surfaced. The success and growth in Mexico was phenomenal, currently with close to 20,000 groups in existence. According to a local AA member in Puerto Vallarta, who is anonymous in accordance with the spiritual principles of the program, the first group sprung up in 1966 in Gringo Gulch and met in rotating homes. Twenty years later in October of 1986, The Puerto Vallarta Alano Club opened its doors and became home to the AA Serenity Group which meets twice daily (9am and 6:30 pm) as well as other 12th step support groups.

In the middle of this year (2009), the Puerto Vallarta Alano Club after 23 years moved to its new and current location due to circumstances beyond control. The new facility is located at Basilio Badillo 329, just a few blocks south of the original Cine Bahia location. It is behind and under Mahajuitas Restaurant on the north side of Basilio Badillo and across the street from Johnny’s Diner. With the help of members of the club, which is independent of the 12 step meetings, the new facility is proving to one that all are enjoying. The club is independent of other businesses and has one large meeting room and two smaller comfortable meeting rooms. Improvements and upgrades are being made on a regular basis. For those coming to the convention, stop by and catch a meeting at the new club. There is also a website for the Puerto Vallarta Alano Club and information for the surrounding area for 12 step meetings in English. The new website is www.recoverpv.com.

The website for information and registration is www.aapvconvention.com. From this site one can register online and choose from different packages or email for more information. Registration this year can be made easily with Pay Pal. For additional information, one can call Registration Coordinator Cal F. in Mexico at 011-52-322-223-9775. The most important thing is that nobody makes any profits or gets paid as AA service is a major component in staying sober. Any extra monies are forwarded to AA service groups to further assist others in their recovery efforts.

The weather is generally in the low 80’s and sunny in January and dips to a frigid 65 degrees at night, thus the origination of the convention name. Most people extend their visit to a week or more to enjoy the paradise and charm of Puerto Vallarta. Come join the international group of wonderful people that have one common purpose; to get sober, stay sober and enjoy life without the use of alcohol.

Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA A.C. Announces New Location and Staff

The offices for Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA, A.C. (Vallarta Confronts AIDS, or VES for its Spanish acronym) have recently moved to a new location at:

Manuel M. Diéguez #387, at the corner of Aguacate in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata.

The new location offers more space, easier access than the former offices in Colonia Centro, and a more attractive and comfortable space. The office is just one block from the Hospital Medasist and the PEMEX station on the Carretera Barra de Navedad.

VES continues to offer free, confidential HIV testing and professional counseling by appointment or walk-in at the new location. Tests are quick, and results are provided within minutes. In addition, anyone may stop in and receive free condoms and packets of water-based personal lubricants. VES also provides referral information for a range of medical and social services that are available in Puerto Vallarta and beyond.

In addition to new offices, VES is also pleased to announce new staff and services.

José Manuel Amaro is the new Coordinator of Prevention and Testing Programs. Jose will oversee VES programs including local health fairs; outreach and education efforts for youth, gay men, sex workers, and other vulnerable populations; individual and group counseling; and coordinating efforts with the local HIV/STD clinic known as CAPASITS (Centro Ambulatorio para la Prevención y Atención de SIDA e Infecciones de Transmisión Sexual).

VES, a non-governmental private non-profit, operates alongside and under contract with CAPASITS, which is funded by the Mexican Federal and Jalisco State Secretariats of Health, providing outreach, education, prevention, and counseling services. VES also pays salaries for several clinic employees that are not funded by the state or federal governments. VES receives funding from several US-based foundations and local donors.

Douglas García Reyes is the new Development Coordinator. This position was recently created, due to the need for better management of fund raising programs; the need for building and maintaining donor and sponsor relationships; and improved grant funding management. Douglas previously worked with a number of non-profit organizations in this capacity in Mexico, DF.

VES is pleased to welcome these new staff members. We invite the public to stop by and see our new and improved setting, say hello to our new staff, and… if you haven’t been tested for a while, ask for an HIV test! It’s quick, free, and painless!

VES is still seeking one additional full-time staff member. A Volunteer Coordinator is needed to recruit, train, and oversee our volunteer team. VES volunteers perform a wide variety of tasks, including assisting at health fairs, free condom and information distribution at local nightspots and businesses, leafleting in local neighborhoods, and more. The Volunteer Coordinator should be 100% fluent in Spanish, and have a background in personnel management or human resources.

Upcoming Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA events, projects, and programs include:

• VES is developing a new approach to wellness counseling with the highly recognized developer of the L.I.F.E. Program, Dr. Jeffrey Leiphart. L.I.F.E. stands for Learning Immune Function Enhancement. While standard treatment for persons living with HIV is based on the use of medications, L.I.F.E. counseling adds to the biomedical approach by encouraging patients to look at their internal psychological responses and external social factors that affect immunity and the course of disease. We expect this program to formally launch by January. Staff is currently in training to lead group and individual sessions using the fundamentals of the L.I.F.E. program concept. This will be the first time this program has been offered in Mexico.
• VES will shortly announce dates and locations for a series of community health fairs, beginning in late October, and running through April 2010. These events will take our testing and counseling services to communities throughout the Bay of Banderas region, with a particular focus on communities where HIV information and services are limited, and communities where there may be large numbers of individuals vulnerable to HIV infection (due to socio-economic factors or lifestyle factors, for example).
• VES is currently restarting a program begun in 2008, to provide free condoms at local business outlets. Participating businesses will have a canister of condoms available for patrons to take, free of charge. The condoms are packaged together with personal lubricant, in a discreet envelope that fits in the pocket. The inside of the envelope contains printed information on safer sex practices and where to find testing and counseling services.
• VES staff and volunteers continue to visit locations throughout the region, particularly during the night, to distribute information and safer sex materials.

For more information, to volunteer, to ask about paid employment, or to obtain testing or counseling services, please call 322-223-0535, or visit our new offices at Manuel M. Diéguez #387, Colonia Emiliano Zapata.

The Cuale Cultural Center is offering a Kundalini Yogo Workshop beginning August 18. The workshop meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-10 am. It is open to the general public over 12 years of age. This workshop is taught by Herrera Alvaro Torres.

Registration is 100 pesos and the class is 300 pesos a month.

The Department Art and Culture in Puerto Vallarta, Aquiles Serdán 438 int. 37, Isla Oriente del Rio Cuale.

PHONE: 01 (322) 2230095 or 113 0107 for more information.

“There is nothing more powerful Kundalini Yoga to awaken your consciousness, to confront your ego and release your fears. Nothing is more elegant in building the strength of your nervous system and your character. Nothing is more effective in developing the ability to be happy in the midst of challenges, and be grateful for each moment of life and there is nothing more profound than traveling to the center of your being, listening to and contemplating the creative pulse in all people and all things “

SPCA-PV is beginning its feral cat trap-sterilize-release program in Puerto Vallarta and will have its first training session Tuesday, May 12 at 4 p.m. at Hacienda San Angel, 336 Miramar in El Cerro, above the Cathedral de Guadalupe.

• The average number of litters a fertile cat can have a year: 3
• The average number of kittens: 5
• In 7 years, 1 cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats

A sterilization program is key to reducing the number of uncared for and abandoned cats in Puerto Vallarta.

If you live in a neighborhood with a population of feral cats, and you would like to learn how to trap wild cats and participate in the program, contact Janice Chatterton at A href=”mailto:info@haciendasanangel.com”>info (at) haciendasanangel.com. Also, please contact Janice if you know anyone who feeds feral cats on a regular basis.

SPCA-PV will have its first trapping day Sunday, May 17. Surgery will take place Monday, May 18.