Cozumel News Special Edition August 30th, 2016: In Local News, A Meeting of Cozumel Mayors, Cozumel holds Clean Beach Day, and Cozumel Talent Show Takes on Broadway. In National News, Mexican Mathematic Students Win Six medals. In Aurita´s Cozumel Corner, The Cozumel Sun is back, Our Family Trip to Vera Cruz, Mexico and Puebla, Mexico, United States Absentee Voting Tips, Aurita´s Community Projects, and a New Pet Groomer in the Neighborhood.
A Meeting of Cozumel Mayors
On July 29, 2016 Mayor, Fredy Marrufo Martin, held the first of many meetings with the Mayor-Elect, Perla Cecilia Tun Pech to coordinate the change in City Government personnel. Mayor Marrufo Martin expressed his full readiness and support of implementing a smooth transition to allow the governmental succession to take place in an orderly manner for the benefit of the community.
Cozumel Holds Clean The beaches Day
Cozumel, August 27, 2016.- Three levels of government, institutions, companies, and volunteer groups, held a day of “Clean Beaches” in the northern part of the eastern area of Cozumel, collecting about 300 kilos of solid materials contaminating the environment. Some 120 people participated in the successful event.
Cozumel Talent Show Takes on Broadway
On August 28th, the final edition of the reality show “Si Puedes Cantar, Puedes Llegar” was held at Quintana Roo Park. Municipal President, Fredy Marrufo Martín (pictured with the winners) was on hand to praise the success of the City sponsored talent show and congratulate the winners.
The final round of the competition was interpretations of Broadway Musicals. Alan Nuñez, won the competition after attaining a perfect ten for his rendition of “Man of la Mancha.” This was the only perfect ten of the competition. The Second Place Winner Miguel Gómez performed from “Phantom of the Opera.”
The Third Place Winner Alfonso Torres sang “Dream”, from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
National News in Mexico:
Mexican Mathematics students win six medals
On August 20th, The Mexico daily News reported that Mexican mathematicians earned six medals during the week-long International Mathematics Competition that had just wrapped up that day in Thailand.
Four Mexican students — Jesús Omar Sistos Barrón of Guanajuato, Nuria SydyKova Méndez of Mexico City, Eric Iván Hernández Palacios of Nuevo León and Bruno Gutiérrez Chávez of Colima — won a bronze each and four more students won honorable mentions.
Mexico won two more bronze medals in team competitions at the event for secondary school-level students, in which 283 competitors from 31 countries participated.
Aurita´s Cozumel Corner
WE ARE BACK! After six months in the United States for surgery and recovery and another few months to get our Cozumel home and store back in order, I am ready to devote my full attention to reviving The Cozumel Sun.
It has not been all work; we took an 8 day family vacation to Coatzacoalcos, Catemaco, Alvarado (all three in Vera Cruz), and finally historic Puebla to the Africam Safari. It was a much needed break for all of us, the six months in the United States was very stressful emotionally and financially. We scrapped and sacrificed on both sides of the border to make ends meet. I promised everyone that we would take our vacation in August, to celebrate everyone´s sacrifice, hard work, and the children´s good grades at school through it all.
It was our last road trip in our 22 year old van; we do not dare push our luck any further. Our adopted Mexican family had the vacation of a lifetime; they were in awe of the hotel stay on the fifth floor of a Holiday Inn, the beautiful mountain vista, the colonial architecture of Puebla, riding elevators, and the live animals that they had not seen before.
I had every intention of up to the minute coverage of the different cities and activities on Facebook; unfortunately, I packed the camera without the charger! We were able to celebrate our son Bartolo´s biological father´s 85th birthday in Coatzacoalcos. In Catemaco, we visited and brought flowers to the Cathedral that holds the ¨Virgen de Carmen¨ and went again on the boat ride that took us to all the little islands that had different wildlife.
In Alvarado we made an overnight stop in an attempt to locate an old friend. Puebla was the place! The mountain range on the way there was breathtaking we saw waterfalls and rivers, just unbelievable scenery all the way there and back. The mountain range was so high we drove above the clouds in part. We saw a volcano. We stayed downtown Puebla surrounded by colonial architecture that was amazing. There were huge ancient cathedrals. The city abounded with tourism everywhere. We spent only two nights in Puebla, we will be back!
United States Absentee Ballot Voters:
Eligible United States residents can vote in the November elections if you start now. Contact the Voters Registration website of the State you reside in to get the details. Florida varies County to County. We sold our Florida home and signed up for a mail service located in a different county. Much to my dismay, I just discovered that the mail service can only be utilized as our address if we have a registered R.V. or Boat. In order to vote, I must use a relative´s address, a process that requires me to make a trip to Florida in order to register in person. Had I investigated this last year, I could have taken care of registering while in the United States. Once you are registered and receive your ballot:
The US Consulate can send your completed ballots to the US via the diplomatic pouch. They will then be mailed in the US. They must be in postage paid envelopes. Coordinate with our consular agent Terri Barnhart-Ocejo or you may take them to the Playa del Carmen Consulate office. Please private message Terri to make arrangements with her.
You need to get them to Terri or the Playa office a couple of weeks before the deadline to make sure they arrive on time.
Aurita´s Cozumel Community Projects:
So far this year, we have helped with some school fees, school supplies, one hospital bill, and one bag of groceries. I funded the opening of Papelería y Novedades Mama Lilly, to provide a business for my adopted son Bartolo and his family that will enable them in the future to support themselves after I have died. I am still making payments out of my own funds for merchandise, furniture and machines to a friend that had closed a Papelería. We have been in business for 11 months, every penny the store makes goes into purchasing more merchandize and expanding the merchandize we sell based on demand. We need a new color copier; we are losing money on the old one we are using due to the cost of the cartridges. I anticipate it will be a few years before the store will be in a position to provide any sort of income to the family.
Bartolo works for the school system, does his shift at the family store then works a third job late at night to help us make ends meet financially. Yes, at 66 and retired, I take the first six hour shift at the store. Gelmy, Bartolo´s wife, does their housekeeping (second floor), laundry, cooking, and getting the kids to and from school during that time. Bartolo, Gelmy, and 12 year old Julian take over the store from one in the afternoon until closing.
We are still very much connected to our Finca family, the Paredes Family. Dad is still a hard working cement worker (but has gaps in between jobs); Mom works for me a few hours during the week doing housework in the first floor while her two children are in school. This ensures they have a steady income for food. We also hire them to stay at our home when we are away. They are on their feet financially for the necessities in life. I will make a special effort to go to their home and take photos for my readers so you can see how far they have come after a fire took out their home. I understand they are working on adding a second room.
A young man in my neighborhood is paying for his school needs and helping out his single parent family by opening his own Dog Grooming business. I hired him a few weeks ago to bathe my non-stop barking maniacs (Two schnauzers and a chihuahua) and he was wonderful! He did a great job bathings them, and they did not bark at him once! Go figure, another dog whisperer in our mist!
On Going Cozumel Garage Sale
Thank you for your continued contribution to our garage sale. We are gearing up to start again in a few weeks. I will advertise the dates in The Cozumel Sun and our Facebook pages. Please continue bringing your second hand items to us, the funds go to support our efforts in the community.
COZUMEL FOR SALE:
Please spread the word that I have a brand new Blood Pressure Machine, 2 new Blood Sugar Machines, an used wheel chair, a Hurrycane (new), a Walker with tray attachment and glider balls (almost new), two used regular Orthopedic Canes, and a huge supply of ultra fine Insulin Needles(two sizes).
Papelería Mama Lilly
35 Avenida Sur Entre Calles 17 y 15 Bis
987-120-5903 EMAIL: mapapeleria@outlook.com
We are open from 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturdays and on Sundays, (When we get home from Church) Noon until 8 p.m.
We sell school and office supplies, make copies, print, laminate, and sell some gifts and novelty items. We are licensed, provide Facturas, and deliver to your home, business, or office.
