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Media Contact: Nicola Inwood or Michele Kinnon
marketing@tasteofplaya.com
www.tasteofplaya.com
011 52 1 984 125 5608

taste of playa event September 5th, 2009

You will NOT regret stopping by the Taste of Playa! Come down to the Parque Fundedores- this is the park next to the ferry to Cozumel. (5th Ave and Juarez). Tomorrow it is open to the public from 3-9pm. VIP passport holders are welcomed at 2pm.
Entrance is free and you may buy playa pesos (tickets for tastes) or if quantity allows, VIP passes for 400 pesos each.
To see a full list of participating restaurants and food retailers, go to www.tasteofplaya.com

This will be an annual event. If you wish t be notified about the date for next years event, please let us know here at www.travelrm.com

Come and Enjoy!
Sherry

Helping Cats in the Riviera Maya, Mexico

Coco’s Cat Rescue is a non profit organization with a no kill policy, dedicated to reducing and controlling the cat population in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. We achieve this via our TNR (trap spay/neuter and return) program for feral cats, and our rescue, treat, spay/neuter, and tame program for kittens under 3 months. We aim to find a permanent loving home for all the rescued kittens in our care.

We are also committed to education which encourages responsible pet ownership and challenges negative associations with feral cats and consequent cruelty. We provide free or low cost spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations and basic pet care to those on a low income. Our long term mission is to expand our model to embrace other local areas, as well as to extend our current program and enlarge our facilities to be able to shelter, foster and find homes for kittens older than three months and cats of all ages.

See their website! www.cocoscatrescue.org

It is celebrated on the Sept 15th night and Sept 16th day. The history goes like this… In the year 1500, Spain conquered Mexico and named it New Spain. Life was difficult under Spanish rule and many of the native Mexicans (The Mayas and Aztecs) were forced into slavery. More than 300 years later, on September 16, 1810, a priest named Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla started a revolt against the Spanish. The Spanish were finally defeated in 1821 and now Mexican Independence is celebrated every year to remember the beginning of the struggle for freedom.

To remember this historical date, the celebrating begins on September 15 (the eve of Independence Day) by having crowds of people gather in the zocalos (town squares) of cities, towns, and villages. People sell confetti, whistles, horns, paper-machete helmets, and toys in the colors of red, white and green. Food is a big part of celebrating.

The people watch the time and when the clock strikes eleven o’clock (PM) the crowd gets silent. On the last strike of eleven the president of Mexico steps out on the palace balcony, and rings the historic liberty bell that Father Hidalgo rang to call the people. Then the president gives the Grito de Delores. He shouts “Viva Mexico” “Viva la independencia” and the crowd echos back. People do this at the same time all across Mexico. While the crowd says this they fill the air with confetti, streamers and noise. Castillos explode in showers of red, white, and green. Then people prepare for the next days’ celebration.

Personally, I celebrated with a group of friends with amazing mexican food, music and conversation. The next day it is typical for guests to return to the home of the party giver to eat leftovers! – Sherry Stevens

After finishing a 4 day clinic in Playa del Carmen, they broke down the clinic and moved it to a school in Puerto Morelos and completed a 2 day clinic there as well, Aug 13 &14, 2007.

The total number of animals sterilized and treated (Includes cats and dogs, male and female).
Playa del Carmen in 4 days: 201
Puerto Morelos in 2 days: 97

Here are some photos to take you through some of a day of the Playa del Carmen VIDAS clinic.

After advertising the clinic weeks prior in local papers, radio and fliers around town… people start showing up for the free clinic in the morning at 8 AM.

First, we check them in with owner and pet information. Then they wait their turn for general exams.

Volunteers have plenty of time to meet and greet all the friendly customers. This is the best part!

Next, they get the pre-med ready for each individual animal in the surgery room.

This is US VET Meghann Burgland, she is in charge of everything that goes on with the medication doses and the flow of the surgery room. She is basically the backbone of the surgery room. Keep in mind they averaged 50 surgeries a day!

In one of the classrooms of the primary school they have their surgery room with 4 operating tables made especially for animals, other stations for sterilizing equipment etc.
Dr. Erica Periman beginning a surgery.

At 1:00 or so everyday, one of the Visiting Vet Students that is fluent in Spanish, taught classes to the local children.

Teaching them basic animal care and safety.

They LOVE it! 

Kids having a ball with Vidas Volunteer Teacher, Nolan Zeide. He is a vet student at Purdue University.

Showing off their work!

This is the recovery room where all patients go after surgery to recover and wake up. 

Volunteer, Deborah Payne checks a sweet Playa puppy for ticks.

We make comfy soft places to lay them and while they are still sleepy, we do a lot of extra care such as, cleaning ears, picking ticks, and a lot of TLC.

Any animals in need of parasite control or have skin conditions are treated at the clinic.

 Volunteer, Diane Patterson from Michigan takes care of a tiny black kitten in the recovery room.

After waking up and going through the recovery process, it is time to go home. The owners are told when they could return for their pet according to when they were dropped off. Some pet owners stay and wait the whole day and even help in the recovery room.

 ”Mom, I am ready to go home!”

It was a prefect success. Our community is grateful to VIDAS organization and volunteer crew. All of the visiting crew comes from the US or Canada, paying their own way and use their vacation time to come to this area and volunteer their skills!!!!- We love them for this!

During the clinic we have many locals and local businesses that have donated housing, meals, transportation assitance and hands on help. The Blue Parrot donated wonderful lunches for all the crew and volunteers, as well as, a thank you party at the end of the clinic. Mexico Escape donated two beautiful properties, as well as, an individual, Judith York Newman donated her condo for the visiting crew.

Vidas provides new collars and leashes to any animals in need! These dogs came with electrical cords as leads. (on the black dog in this photo you can even see the plug around his neck). If you have interest in getting involved with VIDAS or helping the animals please check out http://www.vidas.org/ or go to our local animal charity page.
I want to give my gratitude for the locals and visting volunteers that helped make this clinic work!
Thank you to Dr. Sandra Valdez, Dr. Claudia Lewy Sanchez, Dr. Diego Queijeiro G, Glenda Gabriel, Brenda Lee Carson, Deborah Ritchie, Libby and John Bekas, Paula Tunstall, Madi Collins, Deborah Payne, Marilyn Wall, Dale Cabauatan, Diane and Richard Patterson, Leslie Clark, Claire, Judith York Newman, Jan and Larry Hoffman and Pam and Tom of the Blue Parrot and their lovely staff – Sherry Stevens

Please see the below article published by BBC NEWS earlier today. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6955163.stm

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6955163.stm

Published: 2007/08/21 12:25:08 GMT

© BBC MMVII

Hurricane Dean hits Mexico coast
The storm is expected to cause widespread flooding
Dean hits Mexico 
Hurricane Dean has struck Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula near the border with Belize, bringing driving winds and lashing rain.
Cancun and other tourist resorts were spared a direct hit as the storm came ashore at 0330 (0830 GMT) about 40 miles (65km) north-east of Chetumal.

The storm has weakened to Category Three, with winds of 125mph (205km/h) as it crosses land.

It could strengthen when it hits sea again after crossing the Yucatan.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Florida said the eye of the storm had made landfall near the town of Majahual.

At 1200 GMT the centre of the storm had moved inland about 40 miles (65km) north-west of Chetumal, travelling west at about 20mph (62km/h).

‘Windows shattered’

Last-minute evacuations took place along the coast as Dean was expected to bring a heavy flood surge.
The NHC said the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize as well as Guatemala and northern Honduras could expect heavy rainfall which could cause flash floods and landslides.

Tens of thousands of tourists have been evacuated from resorts in the Yucatan but many others are still there, huddling in shelters.

The resorts have been boarded up and offshore oil facilities are closed but there is concern for residents of poor communities living in flimsy homes.

Andrea Montalvo, of the US-based Spanish-language Telemundo television network, said the storm was wreaking havoc in the Mexican city of Chetumal.

“Inside the hotel it is really bad, every 10 or 15 minutes you can hear windows shattering and people are coming out of their rooms in panic,” she said.
 
City officials said there were power outages as the wind knocked over trees and sent debris flying through the air.

Ernesto Calzada from Quintana Roo radio and TV told the BBC: “I looked out of my office window and saw an enormous tree close by topple over.”

Further south, in Belize City, officials closed the hospitals and urged people to head inland, saying the town’s shelters were not strong enough to withstand the hurricane.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who is attending a trade summit in Canada, said that he would leave on Tuesday after a meeting with his US and Canadian counterparts.

Looting fears

The hurricane has already claimed at least 11 lives in the eastern Caribbean, but largely spared the low-lying Cayman Islands on Monday.
Cancun and other popular Mexican resorts are escaping a “direct hit” but that has not stopped around two-thirds of Cancun’s tourists leaving the area.

Some holidaymakers camped overnight at Cancun’s airport to find a flight while others were turned away.

Police officers have been deployed to prevent looting while residents boarded up their homes ahead of the storm.

Mexico’s state-oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, has evacuated its workers and shut down production on the offshore rigs.

The hurricane is moving steadily west over the Yucatan and may regain strength when it hits sea again over the Bay of Campeche on Tuesday night, the NHC said.
It is due to hit Mexico’s coast for a second time near Tampico in the state of Veracruz.

Dean is expected to be less damaging than the Category Five Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which lingered over the Yucatan for a day, killing 10 people and wrecking large areas of Cancun.

Category Five storms are rare – only three have hit the US since record-keeping began.

In the US, the return of the space shuttle Endeavour was brought forward by a day, to Tuesday, in an attempt to beat the hurricane should it eventually reach Texas, where Nasa’s mission control is based.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6955163.stm

Published: 2007/08/21 12:25:08 GMT

© BBC MMVII

The crosses on the top of buildings in progress were to celebrate the DIA DE LA SANTA CRUZ (Day of the Holy Cross). It is celebrated on May 3rd.

This day is celebrated as the day of the bricklayers and the builders. On May 3rd the construction workers build altars to the cross, adorn them with flowers, sails and sometimes streamers of many colors. The construction workers work half day, and most likely celebrate and enjoy the second half of the day work free! 

The crosses are made with scraps from the construction site. The cross is placed in the highest point of the site. As soon as the cross is installed the holiday begins. In many cases, the acquaintances and family members of the workers are invited to celebrate the day.  They share in fun and a meal such as fried pork, corn stew and tamales. 

The crosses stay up long enough for people like me to wonder what they mean. This country has so many celebrations and traditions. As I continue to learn more and more about this country, I will share it with you. – Sherry

This particular fund raiser was for 12 specific children needing open heart surgery in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. All 12 have been diagnosed in the last 8 months! If you can imagine your child being diagnosed with a heart defect at birth but you have no options of saving your
child’s life… This is the circumstances that these 12
local Mexican families have come up against. The good news
is that 4 of the children have already been sponsored!
It costs around $13,500 US dollars to take care of
the expenses for one child.The organization has worked hard
to get support in the medical field that has made it possible
to bring down the total cost for each child. Before the event
they needed at least $108,000 US more.

Donation jars were circulating through the crowd all night. VIP tables with food and drinks included were sold to groups of 10. Everyone was welcome despite the level of donation. Some large local companies and organizations have made the
kick-off to raising money for this group of 12 a bit easier. Xcaret has sponsored Jolet, Calica has sponsored Sammy, Bernie from El faro hotel has sponsored Jesus and The city of Playa Del Carmen has sponsored Jose Luis from the Zona Maya.

During one of the band breaks, some of the families came to stand on stage,
some with the children in need. One mother (in the pink pants) spoke to the crowd (in Spanish of course) and cried while asking for help. It was a moment I am sure none of us will forget.

They are needing help to sponsor the other 8 children who
are desperately holding their breath for a chance to live.
If for any reason you want to support this wonderful organization
please go to their website to make a donation. www.angelnotion.org. It is tax deductible in the US and Mexico. If anyone is interested in seeing the general clinic on your next trip to Playa del Carmen, I am sure they would welcome your presence! The clinic is located in Nicte-ha, on the north end of Playa del Carmen just past the Colosio.

Thank you to Lavonna Redman, the founder and hard working volunteer of the Angel Notion organization. She is truly an “Angel”!

If I can get an update on the amount of money they raised last night I will update my post! – Sherry

Some local women with the support and assistance of Sandra Valdez (who holds a local office pertaining to animals in our state) were able to get enough government support to put on a well organized 2-day free spay-neuter and vaccination clinic.

There is a serious problem in this country of over-population of cats and dogs. I have been involved in helping this cause since the day I moved to Mexico in 2001. Over the past 5 years many of us have worked hard to get the support of the community and the government to assist in humanely addressing this problem. It has not been easy!

Many Local families do not have the education or funds to care for the animals they claim. Not to mention the great number of homeless animals without anyone to care for them. These free clinics are always located in areas of need and are designed to help the communities gain knowledge about the health of their animals and how to properly care for them.

I have long worked with http://www.vidas.org/ in free sterilization clinics they do in the Riviera Maya. Vidas group is based out of the states. The participants volunteer their time and skills to put on a large, highly organized clinic every year. It has been a huge success and we have been able to help so many animals in a short amount of time. But, as locals living in the Riviera Maya we needed to try to continue their efforts throughout the year. This Chemuyil clinic is a result of that effort. This has been a long process but appears to be turning the corner with some new support of the local Mexican government. They have begun to help cover costs of some of the drugs, supplies and vaccines needed.

As for my experience helping with the clinic, it was amazing! I help mostly in the recovery room making sure the animals are relaxed and doing fine while coming out of the anesthesia. We also clean ears, treat flea and tick problems and administer “TLC” to the recovering patients.

In this particular clinic the offer was free sterilization surgery with full vaccines for cats or dogs. If their animal had already been sterilized the year before, they could have all their needed vaccinations for free. If they chose not to sterilize their animal and still wanted vaccines, they were asked to pay only the “cost” of the vaccines which was $150 pesos (less than $15 US).This of course is to encourage the owners to sterilize their animals. The Government supplied rabies vaccines for any animal free regardless of owner decision.
The clinic organizers went into the schools before the scheduled clinic, talked to the children about the importance of the clinic and sent home notices to parents about the free event. This was a way to reach out to the children and have them share it with their parents. The notice acted as a permission slip to bring animals into the clinic.

It was great to see how many animals had already been sterilized in previous free clinics and came back to insure the good health of their animals with yearly vaccines. I have watched many owners come in for the free service and observe the kind of care the clinic workers give to their animals… it is as if they had never realized that their animal was something special until they see how the doctors and volunteers treat their animal. It appears to create a new level of pride they have for their animal that they had not known before.

The children come to see what is going on at the clinics since they heard about it in school. They spend the whole day watching through the surgery room windows and into the recovery room. On occasion, we get some help from the curious children and teach them simple things about proper care for animals. They soak it up like little sponges.

If anyone is interested in volunteering, learning more about this ongoing project or wanting to donate money or needed supplies, please let us know. We are always happy to find more supporters.
Please check out our page: http://www.travelrm.com/travel-tips/local-animal-charity/ – Sherry