united society of baja california

COMMUNICATOR UNITED SOCIETY OF BAJA CALIFORNIA

The Monthly Newsletter of the Sociedad Unida de Baja California

April 2021

www.unitedsocietyofbaja.org

Vol MMXXI No 04 P.O. Box 439030 #168

San Ysidro, CA 92143

USBC Events - Monthly Social!

The USBC monthly social has been a great way for us all to get together in a safe environment. The next social will be held at Los Amigos on Saturday, April 17th from

1pm to 4pm. There will be a specially priced menu just for USBC members.

Note that to-go food is available.

USBC October Events Member BBQ

April 2021 USBC Communicator

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Wayne R. Denniston, President (2021) (951) 295-5148, [email protected] Anita Olson, First Vice President (2021) (661) 100-6800, [email protected] Mona Jean Smith-Middleton Second Vice President (2021) (664) 631-3291, manajean123@gmai l.com Linda Denniston, Secretary (2021) (951) 295-5148, [email protected] Milo Goehring, Treasurer (2021) (661) 100-6653, [email protected] Judy WestphaI Immediate Past President (2021) (661) 614-1113, [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Amy Valenzuela (2021) (619) 205-9189, [email protected] Arlene Sieman (2023) (661) 612-1081, [email protected] Danielle Williams (2023) (619) 955-7192, [email protected] Dee Dee Martinson (2021) (661) 100-6800, [email protected] Jo Flowers (2021) (661) 613-9355, [email protected] Larry Kolisnyk (2021) (664) 631-3291, [email protected] Paul Flowers (2023) (661) 613-9355, [email protected]

ALTERNATES Diego Knight (2021) (661) 117-9791, [email protected] Laura Orange (2021) (661) 106-5872, [email protected] Kathy Hutzler (2021) (661) 100-6060, [email protected]

Robin Bell (2021) (619) 467-6297, [email protected] Alexander Magnum (2021) (664) 501-4321, [email protected]

Amy Valenzuela Education/Sunshine & Spanish Speaking Ambassadors (664) 631.-2092, [email protected] Anita Olson, Sergeant-at-Arms (661) 100-6800, [email protected] Bill Clark, Nominating (661) 110-9047, [email protected] Danielle Williams, Speaker Chairperson (619) 955-7192, [email protected] DeeDee Martinson, Socials & Events (661) 100-6800, [email protected]

Jo Flowers Membership Table (661) 613-9355, [email protected] Laura Orange, Greeter Paul Flowers, Greeter Milo Goehring, Membership (661) 100-6653, [email protected] Raymond Bell, Website I Communicator (303) 775-5281, [email protected]

United Society of Baja California (USBC) General Meetings: (on hold) 1st Saturday of the month, 10am, Hotel Calafia (Carretera Libre Tijuana- Ensenada KM 35.5, Villa San Pedro Rosarito, B.C.). Board meets Wednesday prior to the 1st Saturday, 10am, at La Maroma. USBC is a social charity group serving as the hub for social, charitable and special interest groups in the Rosarito area.


mailto:[email protected]


USBC Communicator April 2021 Page 03

USBC Future Events…

We are happy to announce that we are starting to plan for the USBC fund raising cruises. These will be later this year, and early 2022!!!! We will update this section as we progress through the organization of these events.


PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Wayne Denniston

[email protected]

ello members, I hope everyone is doing well. It has

been one year since we were able to have a general meeting with birthday cupcakes, raffles and great speakers on a variety of topics. BUT, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Rosarito is in the orange zone and may soon go to green. Thanks to everyone who has complied with the safety protocols to keep our community safe and to make this opening up possible. It is with a profoundly sad heart that I have to announce that we have lost a long-time member and past President of USBC. Paul Weekes passed away on March 27th. On a personal note, 20 years ago my parents met Paul on a Mexican Riviera cruise. Paul invited them here (Rosarito; they were living in Lake Forest, California) to check it out... the rest is history. They moved to Rosarito and never looked back. Paul was a great ambassador for Rosarito! He was also a great cruise companion and a great advocate for wildlife. Paul will be greatly missed. Please keep Paul's family in your thoughts and prayers. Rest in Peace Paul. USBC is looking to forward to having general meetings again in a few months. We sent out an email survey about who has received their COVID vaccinations. I would really appreciate it if you would take just a few moments to respond. Your answer will help USBC decide when we can get back to doing all the fun things we used to do before the shutdown. A special thank you to Ray Bell and Dean Stalcup for initiating this survey.

We had another great USBC social event at Los Amigos. Thank you to all who attended and those who ordered take-out. Molly won the 50/50 raffle and, as usual, Los Amigos staff and chef did a fantastic job. Any one for pole dancing at the next one? Remember, it is the third Saturday of each month. I am anxious to review all your ideas for future fun events so send them on in. YOU are the one who makes USBC great! USBC is planning a membership drive, with Danielle at the helm. Judy and Diego are also involved in the planning and arrangements. All non-profits, please contact them to set up a table. It has been a difficult year for all our non-profits. Further details will be coming soon. Please continue to wear a mask, wash your hands frequently and maintain your social distance. Please continue to be safe and aware. As always, Linda and my prayers are with you all. God bless, Wayne Denniston, President

TREASURER'S REPORT

BY MILO GOEHRING

Financial Report (March 2021) Total Income $ 423.00 Income From Dues $ 340.00 Total Expenses $ 536.00 Profit/(Loss) $ (113.00) Year-to-date Income $ 16.00

Membership Report (March 2021) New Members 3 Renewals For The Month 12 Total Active Members 130




Our Dear Friend – Paul Weekes We are sad to announce the passing of our dear friend, Paul Weekes. Paul was a long-time member and past President of USBC.

Paul was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in central/upstate New York. He earned a BS degree in Physics from Syracuse University, and spent his business career in Information Technology Management with several large US corporations. His employment involved residing in Syracuse, NY; Corning, NY; Wallingford, CT; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; and included extensive domestic and international travel. He retired from Motorola as the Managing Director of Internet Products Operation in Austin, TX, and relocated to an oceanfront home in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico. He was a past President of the United Society of Baja California, and was actively involved in other community support organizations, including Cruz Roja and the Flying Samaritans. His wife, Linda, passed away in 2015. He is survived by two sons, Justin and Jonathan, who both live in Connecticut.

Paul will be greatly missed. Please keep Paul's family in your thoughts and prayers. Rest in Peace Paul.


Community Support – Member Classifieds Do you have something to sell? Looking for a friend? Do you need anything? Our member classifieds provide a way to reach our community for your needs. Please visit www.unitedsocietyofbaja.org/classifieds to submit your advertisement. Each advertisement block is $5 per month, with larger (double-sized) blocks at $10 per month,

Beautiful Ethan Allen Rolltop Desk 55”×28”x48”. Valued at $2000; selling for $250 USD Wayne: [email protected] --------------------------------------------------

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Looking for adventurous traveling companion to less travelled destinations. Danielle: [email protected]

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Disclaimer: All goods received through this classifieds section are purchased “as-is” and “with all faults”, and USBC makes not representation or warranty, express or implied, including – but not limited to – warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or any other matter with respect to the goods.

http://www.unitedsocietyofbaja.org/classifieds



Community Support – Friends of the Library By Danielle Williams It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of Friends of the Library whose stated purpose is to inspire the community of Rosarito to enjoy reading books. Their name in Spanish ROSARITO LEE (Rosarito reads) confirms their focus on the children of Rosarito, their parents and grandparents. The association was created in 2006. I do not remember when I became involved, but it must have been soon after then president, Alan Brown, and his wife, Elizabeth Carbajal, were recruiting volunteers to go and read with the children at one of the five Rosarito libraries in Plan Libertador (ampliacion). They had judiciously selected an autobiographical book by Francisco Jimenez as the first work to be shared. The protagonist, Panchito, had come to the US as the second oldest of the nine children of an illegal immigrant family. The fictionalized account of his early life in the fields grabbed the children’s as well as my interest as we would sit around tables in the library every Saturday morning. Soon after we moved on to other novels by Francisco Jimenez who after his heart-rendering beginnings and tribulations went on to get an MA and PHD from Columbia University. The following year, as FOL had expanded its action to all 5 libraries, Francisco Jimenez agreed to visit with his young readers and an event was organized at the Convention Center.

Fast forward to about 2012 when FOL extended its action beyond the libraries, reaching to public and private schools in Rosarito, and in 2019 including schools in Tijuana and Ensenada. Jimenez’s books are at the core of the city-wide school program and continue to captivate children as well as adults. Throughout it I wrote a book to help intercept and defeat manipulation through the years, FOL’s amazing action has spread throughout the area, turning young and old on to reading with numerous reading promotion events. 2019 was rife with exciting happenings: the bookmobile was inaugurated and started visiting the colonias, and the Reading Corner at CEART provided a library for mothers and their younger children to read while their older children were involved in one of the numerous classes offered there.


Community Support – Friends of the Library (continued) At the onset of the pandemia, with their major event being cancelled. FOL switched gears and started an interactive site “Somos Lectores” and established a system for borrowing from the bookmobile by appointment. FOL is perhaps better known to the expat public for their not-to-be missed home and garden tours twice yearly. One such tour included a visit inside the Devil’s House in Playa la Mission! The folks at FOL are incredibly resourceful, hardworking and dedicated. For more details on their myriad exciting programs and accomplishments, visit their website: friendsofthelibrary.com.mex Please consider volunteering and/or making a donation. Contact [email protected]. The children and families of Rosarito will thank you.

Community Support – Update: Propane Distribution… By Danielle Williams

I am humbled and grateful that your donations made it possible to get close to our first-year anniversary (April 14) of weekly propane give away. However, we are running out of funds. This program can only continue through donations either to [email protected] or http://IAICF.org (click on Mexico), the latter a 501 (c)3.

http://friendsofthelibrary.com.mex/



http://iaicf.org/


USBC Restaurant Tours… As the world starts to recover, we are excited to re-introduce the USBC restaurant tours program. We will get together on the 4th Monday of each month and visit a different location each time, to savor the delights of the Rosarito area restaurants.

April 26th, 5pm – El Encino, km 30, Blvd Popotla (west side) RSVP and Payment by April 19th

Welcome drink - margarita, glass of wine, or beer

Chips and salsa Choice of: El Encino combination (chile relleno, enchilada, rib eye steak, beans, and guacamole) or

Salmon in garlic and butter, baked potato, vegetable, and beans Dessert

$25 including tax and service

You can provide payment to USBC below, or contact the USBC treasurer Milo at (661) 100-6653, [email protected]

www.unitedsocietyofbaja.org/tour/

tel:6611006653

email:[email protected]

https://unitedsocietyofbaja.com/tour/


Calendar of Events Calendar Legend:

FRAO (#201) Free Spanish Class, Temporary: ZOOM Web Attendance (See WhatsApp Chat for link) 11am – 1pm Mondays (Beginner) & Fridays (Intermediate)

USBC Monthly Social, Get together with your USBC friends, Los Amigos, Rosarito 1pm – 4pm 3rd Saturday every month – special USBC menu and take-away available

April 2021

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

April Fools Day; Burrito Day; One Cent Day

2

Good Friday

Peanut Butter &

Jelly Day; Ferret

Day

3 Chocolate Mousse

Day; Find A

Rainbow Day;

World Party Day

4

Lyle and Ren Hill

anniversary

Easter

5

Caramel Day

Deep Dish Pizza Day

Go For Broke Day

6 New Beer’s Eve

Caramel Popcorn Day; Sorry Charlie Day

7 Beer Day

No Housework

Day; Coffee Cake

Day

8 Alcohol Screening

Day; Empanada Day;

200 Lovers Day

9

Former Prisoner of War Day; Winston Churchill Day

10 Cinnamon Crescent Day; Siblings Day; Farm Animals Day

11 Cheese Fondue Day;

Pet Day;

Eight Track Day

12

Elaine Kramer birthday

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Day; Licorice Day

13

Rafael Solorzano

birthday

Peach Cobbler Day;

Scrabble Day

14 Ex-spouse Day;

Pecan Day; Reach

As High As You

Can Day

15

Sonia Amezcua

birthday

Tax Day; High Five

Day

16

Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day; Eggs Benedict Day

17

USBC Monthly

Social

Ellis Island Family

History Day;

Cheeseball Day;

Crawfish Day

18

Paul Flowers birthday

Animal Cracker Day

19

Paul Weekes birthday

(RIP)

Hang Out Day; Garlic

Day

20 Pineapple Upside Down

Cake Day; Lima Bean

Respect Day

21 Chocolate Covered

Cashews Day;

Kindergarten Day

22 Earth Day

Jelly Bean Day; Girl

Scout Leaders Day

23

Lost Dogs

Awareness Day;

Cherry

Cheesecake Day;

Take A Chance

Day

24 Pigs In A Blanket

Day; Kiss of Hope

Day; Rebuilding

Day

25 Pet Parents Day; Zucchini Bread Day; DNA Day

26

Chuck Smith birthday; Pretzel Day; Kids & Pets Day USBC Restaurant Tour

El Encino

27 Prime Rib Day; Babe

Ruth Day; Tell A Story

Day

28 Workers Memorial

Day; Blueberry Pie

Day

29 Shrimp Scampi Day;

Zipper Day; Peace

Rose Day

30

Adopt A Shelter Pet

Day; Arbor Day;

Bugs Bunny Day;

Raisin Day

USBC Communicator April 2021

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________


USBC Community – USBC Monthly Social Event

Our last monthly social was held at Los Amigos on Saturday, March 20th. Los Amigos provided a special St. Patrick’s Day menu with reduced meal prices for USBC members. People had a choice to order off the special menu or from their regular menu at their regular prices. The next event will be on April 17th. Please join us!


AA Grupo open meetings: Sun, Mon, Thurs, 10 AM Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 6pm, 2 blocks east of Del Mar Inn. Closed Women's Wednesday 10AM & Men's Thursday 6PM. (661) 614-1678.

AL-ANON (English) Tuesday 10AM 2 blocks east of Del Mar Inn. Saturday 1PM in Primo Tapia. Call for information (661) 614-1678.

Angels 2 Angels is a bi-national mission-centric charitable organization dedicated to helping orphanages transform into centers of excellence, providing children with protected, loving, quality care. 100% of all donations go directly to help the orphanages. www.angels2angels.org. Contact: Leticia Castro de Halverson, Founder and Executive Director, (951) 205-9890, [email protected].

Baja Animal Sanctuary Provides help for abused and abandoned animals by spaying/neutering and finding homes. Contact: Sunny Benedict, [email protected], www.bajaanimalsanctuary.org.

Baja California Spay Neuter Foundation Providing low cost spay and neuter clinics in Baja. Volunteers always welcome. Contact: Robin Gunther, President, (661) 123-3619, (619) 906-7294 [email protected], www.BajaSpayNeuter.org.

Baja Dog Rescue American-run 501(c)(3) organization operated by volunteers in Baja California. We are a no-kill shelter that rescues and rehabilitates unwanted, abandoned, and neglected dogs and finds them loving homes. Contact: (619) 407-9372, (664) 636-2997, [email protected], www.bajadogrescue.org.

Baja Scholarship Foundation Provides financial support to superior Mexican students at risk of dropping out of school due to financial hardship. Contact: Judie Desson (661) 613-2359, (760) 208- 2840, www.bajascholarshipfoundation.org, [email protected].

Bajavurah Meets the last Sunday of the month. A Jewish social group whose members live part or full-time in the Rosarito Beach area. www.bajavurah.com. Contact: Gordon Kane, President, (619) 980-4673, [email protected].

Club de Ninos y Ninas Rosarito Affiliated with the Boys & Girls Club of America. Provides positive programs, services and activities for school-age children. Contact: Rosy Torres, President, [email protected], www.clubnyn.org.

Cruz Roja Voluntarios Americanos de Rosarito General meetings 2nd Thursday of the month at 10:00 a.m. at the Beach Comber Restaurant & Bar, Blvd. Benito Juarez Km 25.5 in Quintas del Mar. Thrift Store, located behind Waldos, open Mon-Sat 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

DIF Desarrollo Integral de la Familia Meetings in English: 2nd Tuesday,9:00AM, Salon Maya, Rosarito Beach Hotel Contact: Linda Munoz, (661) 612-6082 or (661) 612-6077, [email protected].

Flying Samaritans Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at Villas del Mar, 10:00AM. They conduct free clinics for people of Mexico who have no other resources. Medical clinics the 2nd Saturday, and a hearing clinic the 3rd Saturday. Clinic is located at Calle Chihuahua #488, Colonia Constituciόn. Contact: Susan Smith, President, (858) 240-2360, (661) 100-6066, [email protected], www.flyingsamaritansrosarito.org.

FRAO The Foreign Residents Attention Office, located in Suite 201 (new location) on the first floor of City Hall, provides information and assistance to international residents. Breakfast meeting on the 3rd Thursday of the month 10:00AM. Calafia Hotel Contact: (661) 614-9600 ext. 1080, [email protected].

Friends of the Library Our meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month except December (10AM) at CEART. FOL promotes reading, literacy & works to improve conditions and collections of the 5 library branches. Contact: President Nancy Zvonkovic, [email protected], www.friendsofthelibrary.com.mx.


Hearts of Baja Children's Homes Network To coordinate the needs and resources of the 109 registered and additional non-registered group homes for the nearly 6000 children, orphaned or not, living in our own backyard. Contact: Marilyn Widd, [email protected], (442) 400-2309, (760) 936-3772, www.heartsofbaja.com.

Los Angelitos Orphanage You are welcome to be part of this orphanage, and the blessing of your sponsorship will allow an additional child to enter into this home. [email protected], www.losangelitos.org.

Rosarito Sister Cities Committee Meets the 4th Thursday of the month, 10:00AM in Room 212 at City Hall. Aims to increase international trade, economic development, and exchanges of culture, educational and social services. Contact: (661) 614-9600 ext. 1080, [email protected].

Rosarito Theatre Guild Board of Directors meets on the 2nd Tuesday,10:00AM at their Theatre in the CINES RIO building, #76 Benito Juarez Boulevard, Rosarito (one block south of Elektra), Contact: Sylvia Dombrosky, President (664) 631-3320, [email protected], www.rosaritotheatre.org

Catholic Church Rosarito Centro English Mass Sunday 9:30AM Fr. John McCormick, Fr. Oscar Villalpando Ramirez, (661) 612-1048.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito Pastor Mike Vincent. Meets at Aqua Calientes #2978. Services: Sunday 9:00 & 11:00AM, Saturday 6:30PM and Wednesday 6:30PM. (661) 612-7915, [email protected].

Hope Chapel Rosarito Located in Baja Malibu, right next to Baja Storage at KM 23.5 along the Tijuana-Ensenada free road. Services: Sunday 11:30AM and Wednesday at 6:00PM, (664) 609-3557, www.hopechapelrosarito.org.

Hope and Faith Amish Mennonite Fellowship In La Misiόn, we will be bilingual. Info: Jason Caruth (646) 155-0539, (619) 591-8009.

Latter-day Saints (Mormon) English service Sunday 9:00AM-12:00PM, Rosarito Chapel, 20 Calle Cantil, 5 blocks west of Benito Juarez off Av. Del Mar. Info: Craig Klein (619) 581-7121, [email protected].

Rosarito Beach Christian Church Km 42.6 on Tijuana-Ensenada free road. Sunday Worship Service 9:45AM, Info: (661) 614-0009, Pastor: Dr. Tom Ward, [email protected], www.rbccchristianchurch.com.

Rosarito Church of the Nazarene Pastor Gary Tucker. Meets at Calle Abete & Mediterraneo, 2 blocks east of Crown Plaza Hotel. Services: Sunday 10:00AM, Wednesday 6:30PM, (619) 504-9611, [email protected].

Mission St. Mary Magdalene Playas de Rosarito Rev'd Fr. Mark S. Lieske, East Side @ Km 40.3 Free Road Ensenada - Tijuana Look for our Signs, Next to Artistic Furniture North of Ollie's Pizza & South of Baja Produce. [email protected], US (619) 313-7511.


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