Santa's Shopping Spree
Wednesday, January 9th
Wow! What a Thrilling Christmas Experience!
We added a new twist in this our 3rd year of playing Santa and taking the niños on their Shopping Spree in Mazatlan, MX.
We took Christmas to the El Conchi School on December 18th for all the children. This was the day before the children started their Christmas Vacation. Thanks to Rich and Mary Williams we were able to purchase shirts and some trousers for ALL THE CHILDREN! This Christmas event was not to replace the Shopping Spree for those lucky 38 niños, who had their names drawn; as their shopping Spree was to come in January. This Christmas Party was for each child at El Conchi to receive their own Christmas Gift.
Practicing our QTR at its best! 
The Principal of the school is explaining to the children, That, we the Owners from the Inn at Mazatlán, are bringing Christmas to them. Our Santa Crew is all set to fit each niño with a shirt and or a pair of trousers.
This picture is to share with you, why we selected this school to assist over these past 8 years. This is the steep entrance road; so when we talk about the Barrio Hills in El Conchi, you can understand why this remote grade school in Mazatlán needs the Samaritans from the Inn.
The Niños are assembled by grades from First to Sixth and are waiting for their number to be called, so that they can be fitted. This is only the morning session at the School, and another 300 students will be here at 12:00pm for the second shift.
If you'll look at the roof above the classrooms, you will see the air conditioning Units. This was our first Samaritan project, and it took us three years to raise the donations from the Inn's Timeshare Owners to air condition all 10 classrooms. Our next project, you will see also, and it is the area in the upper right of this photo under the canopy where the kids are sitting. When we started this was a steep downhill slope. We constructed the rear retaining wall, backfilled, then pouring the concrete slab to finish the deck under the covered deck. Money seem to flow to Great Causes, anyway the Owners at the Inn are very generous role models.
Oh! yes, it will fit, that is if you like the color!
Oh My! See Santa brought me this smile.
These are our Leaders. Mary Williams, from Winters, CA has been our mover and shaker on our Samaritan Projects in Mazatlán. The lady on the right is Patty Lizarraga and is a teacher at the School. You met her husband Elias, if you looked at our trip to the Baluarte Suspension Bridge, as Elias was our guide on that trip.
Off to the Inn at Mazatlan for Breakfast on January 9th
We had 38 niños on our Santa Shopping Spree this year. The Teachers at El Conchi selected 2 children from each class in both the morning and the afternoon sessions. In case you didn't realize, over 600 students are utilizing the school facility by having these two shifts. In addition to the randomly selected 30 children, we added the top student from each 6th grade class. This was their reward for academic excellence!
The Inn at Mazatlán, through Teresa McFarland theur Guest Services Manager, partnered with us on this Shopping Spree; and they provided a wonderful breakfast for the niños and the Owners, who are playing Santa's. In spite of working with limited space the Staff reserved the patio of the Papagayo and served the children and Santa's breakfast in fantastic Mexican style.
Our Santa Owners, who have taken a day of their Vacation time at the Inn, are here to be Santa's for our niños. Thank you Santa's! Our Santa's are from Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, California, British Columbia, Alberta, Mexico, and even New Mexico.
The Inn set up an elegant setting for these children with a First Class Service.
And here come our Guests, the Niños!
Breakfast and Santa with the Piñata and presenation of Shoes.
The Principal of El Conchi School thanking the Timeshare Owners, Teresa McFarland and Monica of the Inn for this splendid act of kindness from both the Inn and the Timeshare Owners for the children from his school.
Santa Margo Wheeler helping her little niño to order breakfast, Margo knows the child is a little overwhelmed.
Our Santa Dottie, explaining something to a Teacher, and to the niños.
I don't remember any of my Teachers being this pretty! :)
Peggy & Ron from Tacoma and Kim from Abbotsford, BC, are assisting their niños with breakfast.
Michelle and Jilliann from Plymouth, MN getting things in order.
OH! OH! here is Santa and in Mexican fashion a Piñata about to be attack.
Casey is at bat with this mighty blow! How about this determination!
But it takes one more batter. Remember these Ninos are professional piñata strikers!
Something has broken, and it is probably the piñata. The safe route is to stand back, but even Santa is down and scrambling for his share. Come On Santa hurry, as those youngsters are faster than you at gathering candy.
Santa Clause Time, and the Activities Director, Aaron Palma, plays the part being Santa. Each child was presented a new pair of shoes for the start of their Shopping Spree.
Look at my new shoes.
I couldn't resist using this next photo; as always regardless of where one is at Christmas, the kids enjoy the boxes, as much as they do their presents.
Then it was off on their Shopping Spree!
It was here we finished the clothing fitting. Each niño selected a completely new set of clothes, socks, underwear, pants or skirts, shirts or blouses, caps and then each selected a gift for their family. This was the first time in most of their lives, where other than their school uniform, they every had anything new and of their own selection.
I'm not sure if the niños or the Santa's are enjoying the shopping more? Santa' Colleen came with her reindeer and sled from Edmonton, AB
Santa Vickie is from Seattle, WA
Oh! Decisions, decisions, but Walmart helped us with some great clerks who could speak Spanish.
Walmart concluded our Shopping Spree by giving each child and the Santa's some punch and a piece of Christmas Cake.
The it was on the bus and back to School for the niños and back to the beach for the Santa's.
WOW! This is Christmas sharing the goodness of life with young friends.
God Bless
QTR- Quality Time Remaining
Come on "Willie" sing us another verse, and we’ll move on down the road.
