Music and Sweet Treats

What does The Blues have in common with home made cookies? Both are a means to help Huatulco’s disabled children through Un Nuevo Amanecer (A New Dawn—UNA).

For the past several years Huatulco’s residents and tourists have reveled to the sound of The David Rotundo Blues band and 2015 will continue this tradition. In fact three benefit concerts are planned for this season with the following tentative dates in mind: January 9, February 6 and March 6. Although the location is still under negotiation the venue will definitely be in the open air. If you are in Huatulco for these dates this is an event not to be missed!

For dates, venue and where to buy tickets, posters will be displayed around the town a week or two prior to the event. Last year the two benefit concerts provided sufficient income to keep the center running for 5 months; making this both a worthy cause to support and great entertainment to enjoy. (See the April 2014 issue “David Rotundo Plays the Blues”)

UNA is a non profit organization providing education and therapy for about 85 children with physical, intellectual and hearing impairment as well as various learning disabilities. Recently the institute was the recipient of a grant from the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation (AHH) which has allowed them to offer an exciting new program to help these children live a more normal life.

AHH has sponsored a pilot program that enabled UNA to purchase all the equipment necessary to offer baking as an “extra curricular activity”. This included an electric convection oven with four racks, work tables, pans, sheets, mixing bowls, cookie cutters, etc. In addition to their regular sessions, small groups of children with hearing or intellectual impairment (aged between grades 4 and 6) are currently being given the opportunity to learn to bake and decorate cookies. This not only helps to develop confidence and self esteem but it is expected that some of these children will be able to contribute to their family income by baking at home while a family member sells the product door to door. Many poor Mexican families supplement their income in this way. Early in 2015 they plan to extend the program to include baking apple pies.

If you are interested you can order cookies (and later pies) from UNA. TEL. 587 2676 between 9:00AM-2:00PM. The institute is closed for the holidays Dec 19-Jan 12. The baking classes are held on Thursdays so orders must be received before Wednesday. For those part-time Huatulco residents… before you discard flour, sugar, butter, eggs, or any baking supplies these items can be donated and put to good use! UNA is located above the Ferretería “FERREALIANZA” on Calle Jazmin in La Crucecita.

Written by Brooke Gazer, writer for The Eye and operator of Agua Azul la Villa an ocean view bed & breakfast in Huatulco. www.bbaguaazul.com