Living at Lake Chapala in Mexico

Operation Feed

Many of you know about Operation Feed, but for those that are hearing about this group for the first time, I'll give you a brief history.

Operation Feed was started 13 years ago by Loretta and Earl Smitherburg and Jim and Anne Scott of St. Andrew's Anglican Church. They deliver dispenses (food stables) to 42 very poor families in San Juan Cosalá. After the storm on September 12th (their normal delivery date), they were unable to deliver food for the very first time in 13 years.

Operation Feed has been in the process this week of visiting each of the 42 families in their program. And, Loretta Smithburg informed us Saturday evening that this week they were able to make most of their food deliveries.

They have visited just over 1/2 of the 42 families to be sure all their needs have been met. Most of the homes so far are pretty well cleaned out, but because of the amount of water, their mattresses and bedding were destroyed. At this point, there are eight homes that have no mattresses or bedding. If you have a mattress in storage, or if you are replacing your current mattress and would like to donate it to Operation Feed, please contact Earl and Loretta Smithberg at 01-387-761-0117 or email earlloretta@yahoo.com. They will arrange for pickup and see that your mattress is delivered to the appropriate home.

If you would prefer to give money for the purchase of the mattresses and bedding. Please give directly to Earl and Loretta Smithburg or Jim and Anne Scott email jimannescott@yahoo.com.

Animals
I want to let you know about the relief effort for pets that is going on in San Juan Cosalá. Lakeside Friends of the Animals, A.C . is providing food for displaced animals in SJC and delivering the donations of pet food that people are dropping off at the Animal Shelter in Riberas del Pilar. (People can continue to do this and we will make sure the food is delivered.)

Thus far, we have delivered 79 kg of dog food and 41 kg of cat food to Anita Strehlow of Anita's Animals who lives in SJC above the carretera just off the main road into the Racquet Club. Anita has been in the village of SJC every day trying to help the animals.

Please let people know through your channels that there is FREE FOOD for displaced animals at Anita's. If at all possible, people should feed the animals in SJC with the free food. They SHOULD NOT take the animals to Anita, there is no way she (and other shelter facilities) can absorb every cat and dog that was displaced by the disaster.

Chapala
With all the activity concentrated in San Juan Cosalá, very little has been said about the flooding in Chapala on Wednesday September 12th.

There were approximately 79 to 80 families in Chapala near Soriana who sustained huge devastation and are destitute. DIF is helping and Soriana has a drop off area for contributions.

In Riberas, Jorge, who is a waiter at Jeffrey's MaGaNa and his family, had 2 meters of water in their house. His family needs beds and bedding.

If you would like to help, please contact Sally Jo Druce at 765-7240 or email sallyserene@yahoo.com.

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Judy King is publisher of  Mexico Insights' Living at Lake Chapala, a monthly online magazine for people interested in Mexico's Lake Chapala region, in the state of Jalisco.

Judy, a 16-year resident of Ajijic on Lake Chapala's north shore, conducts weekly newcomer's seminars, shares her expertise about Mexico in her monthly online magazine, and in the "Mexico Lindo" column for the Lake Chapala Review.

Judy also is a speaker for local organizations and visiting tour groups about the Lakeside area and Mexican customs and holidays.