This past Saturday the Chuburna Puerto APOYO
Escolar Program hosted its third annual fashion show and boutique fundraiser.
The Mexican government requires that each
child go to school until the 9th grade, but each student has to
furnish all his/her school materials/supplies, sometimes even to the point of
toilet paper. Families will turn themselves inside out in order to find the
money to buy the required uniform, shoes, books, supplies and transportation. Some families simply don’t have the money. The
APOYO (apoyo means support in English) Program helps both types of families.
APOYO Sponsors give between $125 to $200 a year, depending on a student’s grade
level, to help the family with expenses. In return, each student has to
maintain an 80 or better grade point average and write their sponsor a letter
each year.
The program is managed by a volunteer
committee of gringos, or in our case gringets. Any extra money raised via
fundraisers is used to improve the schools. Last year’s funds were used to
build a lunchroom at the primary school. This year the funds will go to create
a pre-school facility.
My Sister’s Closet refers to the un-wanted clothes
gringo women in these parts have dug out of their closets and donated to the
cause. The whole thing started three
years ago when a fashionista who moved here wondered what she was going to do
with all the clothes she hauled down here that she no longer wanted. Wise heads
came up with the idea of a fashion show. That first show consisted almost
entirely of her cast-offs. There were a lot of them. Since she is not one to shop where most women
shop her unwanteds were eagerly snatched up. Now women up and down the beach,
and even some north of the border, donate to the show. (Friends and relatives
bring the clothes down when they come down for the season.)
This year’s show was held at a very lovely
private home on the beach just around the corner from us. The beautifully
landscaped yard provided a pretty backdrop as the models walked the “runway” of
winding paths. The day was bright, sunny and full of light breezes.
While last year she served food, this year
Dee modeled. And she performed like a pro. Below are pictures of the event.
Dee on her initial presentation.
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| This is not Dee, just an overview of the garden. |
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| A pro always knows where the most important camera is.  |
OK. This requires some explanation. This year's theme was "In the Spirit of
Carnival." Beginning Feb 6., Merida will host it's week-long celebration of Carnival,
the Spanish equivilent to Mardi Gras. A half million people will crowd the
streets for each daily parade, hundreds of live concerts, street performances,
food vendors and general wild-assed merry-making that people do around the world
before shutting down for Lent. So, the fashion show organizers decided to create
costumes that women can rent for Carnival. Luckily, Dee got to wear one of the
more modest ones. We're not sure what she's supposed to be but we're calling her
Queen of Carnival. All hail the Queen!!
