Volunteers Wanted LCS Audit & Advisory Committee The Audit and Advisory Committee (AAC) is looking for volunteers to assist in the 2011 financial audit of The Lake Chapala Society. We are particularly looking for people with experience in reviewing payroll systems and membership database systems. We are also seeking members with accounting and/or audit experience to assist in other phases of the audit. The time commitment would be about a week, with some additional hours preparing a report of findings and attending a few meetings with the other AAC members. The work would be carried out at some time between early January and mid-February. This is an opportunity to see “behind the scenes” at LCS and to provide a valuable service to the Board and LCS membership. If you are interested, please contact AAC Chair Keith Martin at: lcsauditcommittee@gmail.com or by telephone: (376) 766-0379.
FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 10-12 p.m. LCS Neil James Veranda Sign Up in the LCS Office Pneumonia 400 pesos - Flu 300 Pesos Pay the day immunization is received. Open to the pubic
SPANISH CLASSES The next term of the LCS Warren Hardy Spanish Program begins Monday, November 7. Terms are 7 weeks long with 2 classes per week of 1.5 hours each. Registration costs $600 (MX); materials not included. Please visit the website for program description and cost of materials. Registration for Term 6: October 31 through November 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the blue umbrella patio at LCS or any Tuesday and Friday at the service office. Email: spanishprogram@ lakechapalasociety.org with questions. Please note payment must be made at time of registration; we are unable to take reservations.
Helping the Children Will Help Us All CASI NUEVO Patricia Dowd has been a volunteer at the Casi Nuevo Thrift Store in Riberas for a few years now. “In addition to helping the Mexican children in our community,” says Patricia, “I enjoy chatting with the customers and at the same time, I polish up my Spanish. In addition, because we volunteers are there when the donations come into the store, we get first pick and we also receive a healthy discount. It’s beneficial to be a store volunteer and at the same time you feel you’re doing something worthwhile.” A few weeks back, Patricia, along with several other volunteers, visited the School for the Deaf and Children with Special Needs in Jocotopec for the first time. “I had the opportunity of seeing first-hand how the children in the School benefit from the store profits,” she says. “It was a heart-warming experience for all of us.” The school has 96 students and not all are deaf. There are children who are blind or autistic, or who are paraplegics or quadriplegics, or are afflicted with Down’s Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy, or other special needs. These children receive their main meal of the day along with their hearing aids free of charge. The school audiologist performs hearing tests, fits the hearing aids and provides hearing aid repair services. The school speech therapist works with the students one-on-one. All services to Mexican children are provided free of charge. In addition, the school has an outreach program servicing about 30 deaf children and about 40 deaf adults in the community. “Seeing these teachers change a child’s life from being totally dependent to becoming a productive member of society and giving them self-esteem,” comments Patricia, “made me quite emotional. Now, every time I work in the store and make a sale, I think of how my efforts are helping improve a child's life.” The profits from the all-volunteer store are used to support three worthy charities: School for the Deaf and Children with Special Needs, LCS Community Education Program, and Have Hammers...Will Travel. All of these charities are giving Mexican families an opportunity for a better future. Please drop off your donations for the Thrift Store in the Drop Box at LCS or contact Richard Williams at (376) 766-1303 or RGWMS10@hotmail.com for larger donated items that we will pick up at no charge. Please contact Jacqueline at (376) 766-1303 if you wish to volunteer at the Thrift Store.
Jim Collums Education Fund Storytellers #3
CONGRATULATIONS TO LCS WARREN HARDY PROGRAM LEVEL 4 GRADUATES! October 2011 WAY TO GO!!!
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El Ojo del Lago / November 2011
Tuesday November 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. (bar open 3:30). On the Neill James patio. It is Writers’ Choice this time, reading from their own stories: Mike Cook, Ken Clark, Neil McKinnon and Michael Warren. Admission is free. Your donations help a Mexican youngster stay in school. All proceeds are used to support the LCS Student Aid Program. Come and join us, It’s fun!!
www.lakechapalasociety.org