We're Back!

Happy November! What a wonderful time to count our blessings and to give thanks. 

The great migration south has begun and our beloved snowbird friends are returning to Mulege in force.  We will soon have new photos to share of the Casa Hogar children. 

Meanwhile, during this time of thanksgiving, we have some great news! 

Thanks to the many Friends of Casa Hogar, we can confidently say that most of the children's material needs are currently well taken care of. 

But if you are interested in bringing a few things along in your suitcase or RV cubby as you travel south, please check the list at the right for our current needs.

Thank you to everyone who worked hard and opened their hearts for our fabulous children over the past several months. It is comforting to know that the children have plenty of school uniforms, shoes and play clothes to meet their needs. 

It also gives us peace to know Laura has the household and medical supplies needed to keep the home in good, healthy working order. 

You may be asking, “So what is next? I still want to be involved in the lives of these beautiful children.” 

These are some of the still a few very important ongoing needs:

•  Volunteers - What is your gift? How would you like to express it? Please see the "volunteer-needs list" to the left or share an idea you have with us and we’ll do our best to get you plugged in.

• Please know that more than anything we need your financial support. Costs for rent, utilities, food, therapeutic needs, enrichment activities, etc. are ongoing.


• You can donate through the Paypal or if you are in Mulege, contact Suzanne Anderson or MaryLynn Thompson at casahogarmulege@gmx.com to arrange a meeting. 

• Finally, will you be in Mulege in late January? We are planning our Second-Annual Friends of Casa Hogar Celebration. Watch this blog and “LIKE” the Friends of Casa Hogar Mulegé for additional information as it becomes available. 
• We could use a few great event volunteers, too. If you are interested in helping with the planning, preparation or staffing of the event, please contact us at casahogarmulege@gmx.com. 

Welcome back, and let’s continue to support these wonderfully resilient children so they may thrive!

So Long, Farewell, Adios, Goodbye

Just when we get rolling with a supportive community, the end of the snowbird season sneaks up on us. While some of us will remain for a couple more months, many are making their way north by plane, RV or automobile before the Easter holiday.

YUM!

I don't know many kids who don't love pizza!

As we say our goodbyes to the children, it is important that they know they will not be forgotten over the long summer season. This week they will be treated to their monthly pizza party thanks to Barb and Jim, while Tim and Ramie will share a short movie with them that features all of their smiling faces.

We must tell you that these wonderful kids are in need of ongoing support. Laura does a fantastic job of raising the children, but she can’t do it alone. Over the past few months, the Friends of Casa Hogar has raised thousands of pesos in support of these amazingly resilient children.

Restraint as they take photos is impressive!

Thanks to our team of seasonal volunteers, we have also improved the children’s home, but the truth is they continue to live in abject poverty.  Right now, it costs about 15,000 pesos each month to meet their basic needs. (At the current exchange rate, that is about $1,000 USD.)

On this page you will also find a wish list of material items that could benefit Laura and the children. Perhaps you could bring some of these items with you on your next trip to Mulege. We will do our best to keep this list updated, but if you are planning on a significant donation, please contact us beforehand as there is a limited amount of space in the casa.

Barb and Jim enjoying some time with the children

In the meantime, Casa Hogar’s biggest need is financial support. Your cash donation will help to keep a roof over the children’s heads, keep the electricity on, and the water pumping over the long hot summer months. It will also allow the children to receive medical care and three meals a day.

Please click the link to the left to donate to the Friends of Casa Hogar. We are supported 100% by dedicated volunteers, and 100% of your donation will directly go to Casa Hogar.

If you would like to hold a benefit in your community to support Casa Hogar and require additional details, please write to us at friendsofcasahogar@gmail.com.

Thanks to all the wonderful, amazing, talented and dedicated volunteers who have touched the lives of our children. They will not forget the love that has been expressed to them over these past few short months. By sharing this page with your friends and family, we together can insure that Casa Hogar is in good care, for a long time.

Muchas Gracias

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.

Wow, wow, and WOW!

Big Love from the Children

It is with tremendous gratitude that we celebrated Laura Sanchez’s first anniversary as the founder of Casa Hogar last Saturday afternoon.

The fiesta exceeded our wildest expectations. The gifts of our community are many, and most of them were shown off Saturday afternoon. The casa courtyard looked fantastic with a load of gravel spread out over the dirt, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and color – lots of color.

The stunning and vibrant handmade decorations on display let everyone know that something special was happening at this humble abode.

 

We expected to serve about 100 people over the course of three hours. Instead, the children welcomed about 150 happy attendees, most arriving in the first hour. Many guests claimed that this was their best Mexican meal EVER!

There was plenty of handmade, traditional Mexican fare available, and it was served up with smiles. The dessert table was also packed. There were so many sweets that some of the children were seen sneaking a treat or two to neighborhood friends on the other side of the courtyard wall.

Partygoers actively bid on the donated silent auction items, and many people engaged the children in banter as their language and pantomime skills permitted.

This was the first of (hopefully) many years where these children have a safe, loving and nurturing place to call home. With your continued support, we predict these children will thrive beyond their wildest dreams!

The list of those who helped make this event possible is long. Our appreciation is great, and we want you to know that a huge difference is being made.

Thank you.
From the children...