000079 Visit since
Around 1933 the local ladies and businessmen started
holding meetings to discuss the imperative necessity
of building a medical care shelter for the needy.
After the board approved the
project, the first hospital facility was built adjacent
to the Parish, in an old house that was confiscated
by the government during the Anti-Christian revolution.
The building was a two-story house located around
the corner from the Church, where Reverend Peña's mother lives at present. We
named the small medical facility Las Peñas.
The new Board of Directors appointed me as head of
the organization. The merchants contributed with weekly
donations of food. We organized fundraisers, and bought
five cots for the needy from the first fundraisers.
Soon after, we ordered ten more cots. The orders of
cots multiplied according to the necessities.
The number of poor people in need of medical assistance
grew day by day. Most of the needy were illiterate
people who practiced little of no hygiene at home,
making them more susceptible to decease.
Amongst the doctors who volunteered their valuable
time to this charitable mission were Doctor Soto Granados,
MD, and Doctor Alfredo Sarawatari, MD.
The doctors contributed with medicine samples for
the ill. Everyone's help was important to the hospital.
Our intellectual director
and advisor was Don Joaquín
Bolaños Cacho. The hospital started growing
and we needed to hire more staff. We trained two local
young men for nursing positions and hired two maids
to help us cook the meals. As the hospital grew the
expenses also grew. We saw the need of organizing more
fundraisers.
We developed the idea of raising
funds showing theater plays at Saucedo no ongoing
activities. A group from our organization was assigned
to obtain Mr. Flores' permission to use the Theater
facility. Soon after his approval, we started preparing
for plays. I still don't know how I ended being a
theater manager and a director of plays at the same
time! Young Salvador García, a forestry employee
from Colima City, was my assistant. He had not only
a lot of experience in theater choreography, but
was also full of bright ideas. He thought of casting
local people to participate in the plays. We brought
the idea to the Committee and people embraced it
with enthusiasm.
We started casting immediately. To our surprise we
had a lot of undiscovered local talent. They were all
great actors and tried acting their best.
The performances included comedies, dramas, one-act
farces, choreography, dances, and talent shows.
We cast local lady Teresa
Baumgarten, Luz Contreras, Mercedes Baumgarten, and
Chepina Cortés. Among
the men cast was el Chino Villaseñor, the Uribe
brothers, José and Alfonso, Juanito Peña
Díaz, and the children of Doctor González.
The were also two young jewelers musicians from Manzanillo
who played guitar beautifully. Unfortunately, the only
thing I remember is their beautiful music and voices,
but not their names. They sang popular tunes such as
La Amapola del Camino, and had a great repertoire of
romantic songs.
The fundraiser shows were a great success. Saucedo
Theater was full every night.
The shows to benefit the hospital lasted three years.
Alfonso Garibaldi and Antonio
Pérez Camacho
were both Mayors of Vallarta during a year period.
Each one served a six-month term.
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from the book "Puerto Vallarta en mis Recuerdos"
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Note: Distinguished
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