Samaritan Owners 2016
A Santa Claus Shopping Spree for the Niños
This is the room that the niños walked into. The Inn at Mazatlan, thanks to Teresa McFarland and Javair Esquivel, the new Manager, hosted the kids and the Santa's to a marvelous breakfast.
Picture you being one of these young people, and for the first time in your life you have just ridden in an elevator; and then you walk into this majestic setting for breakfast the Inn at Mazatlan is providing.
Beyond Awesome!
Javier Esquivel, Director of Hotels and Teresa McFarlan, Sales Manager addressing the children and the Santa's. Teresa welcomed and thanked the Samaritan Santa's for making this happen; and Javier talked and joked with the young los niños in Spanish, and he was a master at setting them at ease. It was then that they relaxed and their smiles began to appear.
The Children were served first with Chocolate Milk and Mikey Mouse pancakes. They were so intimidated by this spectacular setting and the manner in which they were being treated, that they sat big eyed in bewilderment. The Mikey Mouse pancakes broke the barrier, and they were able to return to being young school children.
Barry and Ali Sparrow and their niño
Santa's Pattie Fredricks and Monica Tracey
Miss Santa Julie Schleck
OH, Two Santa's, Judy Morgan and Judy Rodgers
All smiles from Linnea and Jillian
I'll share a few observations and some comments, we heard from the children. One boy asked another, "what is that 'brown stuff? Did you put it on your cakes"?
To us it was just maple syrup, but to them it was a delight they had never experienced.
The kids were served chocolate milk by the Inn; and at first they tasted it very cautiously, again something they had never experienced.
Rich Williams noticed that several of the boys had gone to the restroom two or three times and being concerned checked on them. He discovered they were totally amazed by the water activating, when their hands passed beneath the faucet and the soap dispenser doing the same; but the astonished winner was the towel dispenser that would send out a new paper towel automatically. Rich reported that the boys were so engrossed, and each washed their hands three and four times just to prove the operation.
OH! the little things we just take for granted!
Javier Esquivel visiting with the Bryan Muzyka Family and their two niños.
Jamie Del Rio, the Director of Food Operations, presenting his special 'Donut on a Stick' to one of the children.
Why not Donut Binoculars?
We must stop and give credit to those things behind the scene that made this adventure flow seaming seam-less. We want to thank those Samaritans who did the work behind the scene.
Rich and Mary Williams who did all the advance work! First was their shoe shopping and the coordination with Patti at El Conchi School and then with Walmart. Rich also handled the transportation of the Los Niños and Santa's.
The Inn for the elegant setting and the marvelous breakfast, and for this we thank Mr. Javier Esquivel, Teresa McFarland and Jamie Del Rio. Too, we give a special acknowledgment to the Inn and their Management Team fpr their participation and Partnering this Santa Shpping Spree with we Owners.
Patti Lizarraga and Mr. Manuel de Jesus Roman Esquer, Director of the School, for their participation in the selection of the children, and the coordination with the parents in getting them ready to attend our Samaritan Shopping Experience.
And you the Owners at the Inn for your generous financial support.
You Made it Happen!
Each niño was presented a pair of shoes at the breakfast. Here are Mary Williams, Linnea Turnquist, Vanessa Turnquist, Jillian Schulz, and Jeanette Nauta sorting, tagging and wrapping the shoes.
Vanessa and Torii have the presents all tagged and ready for delivery!
The Children were presented a Christmas Present at the breakfast and each had the thrill of being recognized individually, when they received their gift.
Pattie Lizarraga and Director Manual Roman presenting the first gift.
One of the twenty six children with the present of shoes.
Vanessa and Jillian with their two charges and New Shoes. This was the first pair of new shoes that either of these young men had ever received.
Norm Ribble and Director Manual Roiman and all Los Niños with their presents.
Let's go Shopping!
The focus shop and pick clothing they use daily. They picked shirts, underwear, socks, jeaof the shopping spree was to give the Niños(children) the great experience tons(boys), girls loved choosing leggings and tops. They all chose a gift for mom and dad.And we're off to Walmart! And each pair of Santa's had a niño in hand. The goal being to cloth each child from foot to head.
Socks; Underwear, Trousers or Slacks,
Shirts or Blouses
Walmart was wonderful to work with as the had extra bilinqual clerks helping us with sizes and communication with the children. And they were fantastic in providing us a separate check out register to faciliate the operation.
And we had Fun Too!
The niños are finished and headed back to School and the exuberant Santa's back to the Inn. What a humbling but meaningful experience for both.
We have worked the last 5 years on the School Building
* Air Conditioning the Class Rooms
* Painting the entire complex
* Replaced one classroom's roof
* And last year finished the concrete deck between the Classrooms
And now we have begun our journey in doing something for the Ninos. It was a resounding success, and we are overwhelmed.
We know that next Christmas, we can affect the lives of not 20 but 40 CHILDREN; and we preparing for our next Santa Shopping Spree now.
The Owners Samaritan Fund - Día de Los Niños
| Samaritan Santa Claus Fund - 2016 | |||
| Date | Owner | City | Gift |
| 10-Aug | Patti Fredricks | Livermore, CA | 100.00 |
| 22-Nov | Nancy Johnston | 100.00 | |
| 22-Nov | Alden Lewis & Lilia Xochihua | Demascus, OR | 75.00 |
| 23-Nov | Pete & Marlene Ashbaugh | Casper, WY | 50.00 |
| 23-Nov | Art & Mary Anstine | Parker, CO | 300.00 |
| 23-Nov | Jean Hodges | Boulder, Co | 75.00 |
| 24-Nov | Linnea & Vanessa Turnquist | Victoria, BC | 75.00 |
| 23-Nov | Rich & Mary Williams | Winters, CA | 200.00 |
| 24-Nov | Chris Hales | Orem, UT | 25.00 |
| 24-Nov | Larry & Connie Catlett | San Diego CA | 150.00 |
| 26-Nov | Jim & Judy Dahl | Dodge Center, MN | 75.00 |
| 29-Nov | David & Debb Braheny | Vallejo, CA | 50.00 |
| 30-Nov | Norm & Dottie Ribble | Elephant Butte, NM | 100.00 |
| 1-Dec | Robert Tyson | Lubbock, TX | 35.00 |
| 1-Dec | John & Any Melia | Albuquerque, NM | 75.00 |
| 2-Dec | James Renee Hall | St Louis, MO | 50.00 |
| 6-Dec | Ron & Peggy Henning | Tacoma, WA | 100.00 |
| 6-Dec | Tom & Marianne Brooke | Poulsbo, WA | 100.00 |
| 6-Dec | Jack & Kayla Sanford | Omaha, NE | 100.00 |
| 6 Dec` | Elaine Hoffman | Winters, CA | 100.00 |
| 6 Dec` | Don, Bebbie & Dana Cassier | Donners Grove, IL | 225.00 |
| 6 Dec` | Chip & Mary Plomteaux | Las Vegas, NV | 100.00 |
| 8-Dec | David & Mary Maraden | Erie, PA | 100.00 |
| 8-Dec | Ardity Pounds | Blair, NE | 75.00 |
| 8-Dec | Trish Verveda | Alix, AB | 150.00 |
| 8-Dec | John, Michelle, Nick & Jillian Schulz | Medina, MN | 100.00 |
| 9-Dec | Joanne Nelson | Fort Wayne, ID | 50.00 |
| 23-Dec | Jim & Debbie Grant | Edmons, WA | 200.00 |
| 23-Dec | Bryan, Tara, Maddy & Torii Muzyka | Battleford, SK | 75.00 |
| 25-Dec | Susan Rowlee | Bainbridge, WA | 75.00 |
| 26-Dec | Doug & Libby Fisher | Warrenville, IL | 200.00 |
| 30-Dec | Bill & Joslin Lloyd | Oakland, CA | 60.00 |
| 31-Dec | Don & Jeanette Nauta | Calgary, AB | 50.00 |
| 31-Dec | Barry & Ali Sparrow | Edmonton, AB | 75.00 |
| 2-Jan | Kirk & Erin Hudson | Red Wing, MN | 50.00 |
| Anonymous | 150.00 | ||
| 3,670.00 | |||
Thank you.
Norm Ribble
Webmaster