Doug Robinson
REGARDING "A OAXACA CON AMOR" the benefit concert last Sunday:
Folks, I want to thank everyone who participated in this event at every level, whether you performed or bought a ticket or snagged something at the silent auction or bought Mercado Sano food there or simply helped to spread the word.
Last Sunday, between 4 and 9pm and in the middle of torrential rain, approximately 350 amazing people cycled through MUVARTE to hear more than 30 musicians playing to benefit the hardest hit communities in rural Oaxaca.
The music was great--we had everything from torch songs to funk to oldies, contemporary jazz, solo piano, traditional Latin American songs and more. And those who stuck around for the big finale with XUC Trio will almost certainly remember that show for a while!
We are still waiting to collect some credit card pledges, but I can tell you that the unofficial total raised was just over $250,000 pesos (about $14,000 USD). We have already distributed a large chunk of that and the rest goes out in the next week or so.
We have two main contacts on the ground in the communities of San Mateo del Mar, Juchitán and Union de Hidalgo. One is Denise Lechner, a humanitarian and anthropologist who has been working nonstop since the quakes, setting up a mobile health clinic and buying and distributing supplies; the other is the father of a San Miguel resident who is an elder in the community of Union de Hidalgo and also the chairman of an important group that focuses on improving the lives of the extremely poor there.
The money right now is mostly going to gas for trucks transporting relief items; for tarps which serve as temporary shelter; pallets to keep supplies off the wet ground; medical supplies. Longer term, there is a program getting set up as I type to build bathrooms using some of the equipment from destroyed houses which not only addresses sanitation but also provides employment for the many artisans who are down there, trying to figure out what to do.
Long lists of 'thank you's probably don't get read, but they should. If you have a moment, take a look at these people and say a little silent 'gracias' to them. They did something really important this past week!
Maria Sanchez, Denise Rosenfeld, Alexis White, Patrice Wynne, Adriana and Jorge from MUVARTE, Carrie Cameron/Rusty Henson and Magic Town, all of the amazing painters, photographers and service providers who gave us things for the SILENT AUCTION, Mercado Sano, Nancy Howze and Jim Dolan from CDR/Christie’s, Dr Dave and San Miguel Events, Ron Lennox, The Civil List, Rodrigo Lopez from Travalian tours and his father, and Denise Lechner.
And these musicians!
Maria, Julian Arcos, Alex Gutierrez, Victor Monterrubio, Ruben Olvera, Gabe Heiser, Bob Block, Carmi Simon, Rick Shlosser, Ken Bichel, Paco Rivera, Ana Karen, Ariel, Pawis, Andrea and Luis (Bohemia Viva), Elsa Sommarstrom, Moises, Miguel Kegal, Sonny, Susan Varcoe, Lady Zen, Brigham Golden, XUC TRIO (JuanJo, Jorge, Chuck), Phillip Hertz.
If I forgot anyone, please forgive me and also feel free to remind me.
One of our people on the ground in Union Hidalgo was overwhelmed by the love for Mexico from so many who weren't even born here.
Moving forward...if you see me on the street and want to make a donation, I'll take it and get it to the right place. If you want to donate via paypal, this is one address we know that it is going to the right places: paypalme/deniselechner.
In closing, thanks a million for your participation. We all love to make music but I know I speak for the others when I say that it's an extra privilege to apply our talents for something like this.
All the best,
Doug Robinson
Statistics: Posted by Ron Thorne — September 27th, 2017, 4:30 pm
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