Featured Presentations Scheduled for Your Enjoyment in the LCS Gardens

Registration is strongly encouraged. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE MONDAY-SATURDAY

Open Circle Ajijic

August 14, 2022
Presentation by Terry Rossen: Democracy Today: A global Look at 3 Types of Government
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Join Terry Rosson, Democrats Abroad Lake Chapala Chair and Lake Chapala Society´s Open Circle to focus on democracy in 2022 at the global level.

• Explore a brief history of democracy since 1700—including women's right to vote.

• Dig into the many types of democracy, from full to flawed to hybrid.

• Examine high-level pros and cons of each type.

Our Q&A session will include a discussion of the benefits and commitments required by each type of democracy.

About our presenter:

Terry brings a passion for voter engagement and over 25 years in the communications, advertising and marketing fields. The big question he works to answer: Together, how can we help voters make the best choices for themselves in today's social-media saturated world?

Open Circle Ajijic

August 21, 2022
Presentation by Rex Gale: Don't Trust Your Gut: How to Make Better Decisions iIn life
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

This talk will align with your aim to improve our understanding of ourselves, our community and our world.

Jack Welch, as well as others, seem to always tell us to "trust our gut." Quite often people make "gut" decisions that they ultimately regret. What happened? Why did their gut fail them? The decisions we make in life are heavily influenced by past experiences, and the emotions attached to those experiences, resulting in an automatic decision that they make without really thinking.

This talk will focus on the Nobel Prize, winning concepts around decision making, and provide a blueprint for helping people understand why and when the gut can be dangerous in decision making, when to trust it, and how to understand the difference.

Open Circle Ajijic

August 28, 2022
Presentation by Roberto de Alba: How to Clean the Water?
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Water is the cute and wonderful "animal" who give us health, life, fun and cleaning. Its versatility is amazing. Cleans almost everything. That’s the reason why there are many kinds of contaminants in water:

pesticides, antibiotics, hormones

Iron, Hardness, Lead

Bacteria, virus, algae

Sediments, color, odor, flavor, pH, H2S, CO2

But if the water is for cleaning, how can I clean the water?

Each process and equipment need to be logical to clean the water. If I want to inactive bacteria, I need to install a sediment filter because bacteria can hide in the sediment. Come and discover the process and equipment to clean the precious water.

Roberto de Alba is a Master Water Specialist by the Water Quality Association. He has worked 22 years treating water. Actually, works like manager in his own company

If You Missed an In-person Presentation, You Can Still Enjoy It On-line.

Open Circle Ajijic

August 7, 2022
Presentation by Araceli Kopiloff & Katja Kohl: Negocios Magicos Ajijic
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Negocios Magicos: enhancing Ajijic, Pueblo Mágico one business at the time. Katja Kohl interior architect, owner of Kohl Design Haus and Araceli Kopiloff business consultant have created the pro bono initiative: “Negocios Magicos”. Giving back to this very special community and the local people who make it our home. Reawakening color, whimsy and highlighting the rich assortment of artisanal culture and heritage in our village. Hardworking business owners deserve to make their wildest dreams a reality. The Goal: To give a small business a fresh start by not only looking better, but also introducing them to a new clientele. Giving them the tools to succeed with business advice and a better online presence. Negocios Magicos will work with them to improve their social networks and introduce them to services that can benefit their income, such as food delivery service or selling online, as well as traditional methods. For an overview please visit: [a href="https://www.negociosmagicosajijic.com/"]Negocios Magicos Ajijic[/a]

Open Circle Ajijic

July 31, 2022
Presentation by Patricia Bodin: Poco a Poco
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Poco a Poco San Pedro helps the residents of the indigenous towns and villages near San Pedro Itzican and Mezcala, sponsoring a number of programs for the families. In conjunction with Lakeside Foodbank, lunches are provided for 740 vulnerable children five days a week cooked by local volunteers. A new program is underway to create a community garden, increasing the opportunity for families to become more self- sufficient. Come see what is happening in these villages and how you can be a part of connecting with these wonderful families.

This presentation is about a collaborative program between Poco a Poco San Pedro Itzican and FoodBank Lakeside called Cocinas Para Ninos (Kids Kitchens). The program serves meals Monday through Friday to over 700 children living in the indigenous villages east of Chapala. Kids Kitchens was started about 4 years ago to begin to combat widespread malnutrition among children in the villages. The program has special significance because malnutrition is linked to the kidney disease of unknown origin that is widespread among children in these villages. In addition to presenting information about the history of the program, its rapid growth and current status, a video will be shown about the Kids Kitchen program and the next step which is to begin to provide resources and support to the villages to grow their own food.

Patricia Moran started the Kids Kitchen program as a volunteer with Poco a Poco San Pedro Itzican. She is a retired university professor who has lived in Ajijic for four years. She brings to her volunteer efforts Lakeside many years of experience working in villages in south India. She currently serves on the Leadership Teams of both Poco a Poco San Pedro Itzican and Foodbank Lakeside.

This is a link to a video about Kids Kitchens and the effort to begin to grow food in the villages: [a href="https://gofund.me/cc5a5f58"]Food Farm for Children in Mexico[/a]

Open Circle Ajijic

July 24, 2022
Presentation by Lydia Bodin: Niños Incapacitados
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/SM1R-GBb7Eo" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Who We Are and How We Work

• We are an all-volunteer, non-profit, charity that has worked in the Lake Chapala area since 1974.

• Our mission is to help Mexican families, who require financial assistance, pay for the on-going and/or major medical expenses for their children. We believe that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.

• We meet with children and parents monthly in clinics to reimburse parents for medical care and to ascertain their needs.

• We currently serve 120 children from ages of birth to 18 who suffer from serious disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. A qualified child is never turned away. A qualified child may remain with us until the age of 25 in specialized circumstances.

• We use 95% of every peso donated to help children.

• We are an active civil association and a donataria level charity that is registered in Mexico, Canada and the United States, allowing us to issue tax receipts and facturas to our donors.

• We can do our work because in 2021 we received:

- 1 bequest/legacy gift

- 7 corporate donations

- 146 individual donations that ranged from $100 pesos to $1,500,000 pesos.

• We collaborate with DIF and are recognized, respected and trusted in the communities we serve as a provider of life saving care for ill children.

Our Governance:

• The Board of Directors is comprised of a multi-national group that includes Mexicans, Argentines, Canadians, and Americans. They sit for two-year terms that are renewable.

• We also utilize an Advisory Council who assist the board in formulating policy and directions for the organization.

• We hold an annual general assembly that is open to the community, as required by Mexican law and our Acta Constitutiva.

• We are audited by Amistad Canada and the Foundation for Lakeside Chapala Charities.

How We Spend the Money Donated:

• Major Expenses

– Medicines/Medical Services 65% (dental, vision, and related assistance)

– Transportation 30%

– Business overhead 5%

• The average cost per child for a year is $26,500 pesos.

Lydia Bodin has lived at Lakeside since 2018. Before coming to Lakeside from California, Lydia was a deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office for 32 years. She specialized in cases that involved child sexual assault, child physical assault, domestic violence, and crime victim services. She has worked on prosecuting numerous high profile cases and became a managing attorney in the Los Angeles District Attorney's office. Before practicing law, she worked as a teacher in the area of special education.

Currently, Lydia is the President of Programa Pro Ninos Incapacitados del Lago and assumed that position in 2019. It is important to Lydia to be of service in her community and she finds that the work of Ninos Incapacitados to be fulfilling.

Lydia and her husband together have four adult children. Her husband, Michael Bustos, formerly an engineer for Boeing, was born in San Nicolas Ibarra.

Open Circle Ajijic

July 17, 2022
Presentation by Rachel Mcmillen: Ancient Knowledge for Modern Times
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/pFuKPIP1brY" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Rachel McMillen is the author of the popular Dan Connor mystery series which includes Dark Moon Walking, and Black Tide Rising, both of which were nominated for an Arthur Award. She was born in England, raised in Australia and lived most of her life in Canada where she spent thirty years sailing the remote west coast that provide the setting for her novels.

She is a former teacher and adult educator whose short stories, poems and articles can be found in numerous anthologies and magazine, and she has served as president of various environmental organizations as well as theater companies and community organizations.

Open Circle Ajijic

July 10, 2022
Presentation by Marianne Carlson: Feria Maestros de Arte
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/StzaoA8MVJU" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

The idea for the Feria emerged during a trip with a friend to 16 artisan villages between Ajijic, Jalisco and Pátzcuaro, Michoacán in March 2002. I realized that I was meeting artists whose work the average person would never get a chance to see. When asked where they sold their work, most of the artists said in their homes, in their local tianguis (open-air markets), or in a larger tianguis in other villages, if they could afford to travel there.

The wheels started turning and I began to think, why not have a Feria at Lake Chapala?

Over the years, the structure of the Feria has changed. At first, I paid for everything and selected the artisans myself. I had no vision of how long the Feria might continue. It took on a life of its own! After four years, I needed help. I put an ad in the local paper that I was having a meeting asking for volunteers. Eighteen people I had never met before attended and by the end of the meeting, we had several volunteer coordinators.

As we grew up, the Artist Selection Committee was formed and we found three state coordinators who would also help us select the artisans; Oaxaca (Linda Hanna), Chiapas (Brigitte Ordoquy) and Michoacán (Terry Baumgart).

It is not difficult to keep the show new and different every year, because of the myriad of incredible artists all over Mexico. We have heard from some of the Feria's attendees that "the Feria is the same every year" — NO IT IS NOT. Every year we select at least 40-50 new artists from the total of 85.

So, what is so special about the Feria? (1) We offer the public an opportunity to see and purchase the work of some of Mexico's finest artists, (2) We offer each artist a place to exhibit and sell their work, possibly making connections for future sales that will allow them to continue to make a living selling their art, (3) We give artists the opportunity to meet each other, develop new friendships and connections, and (4) we offer a vehicle to promote the folk-art of Mexico, while at the same time educating the public that such art is in danger and on the verge of extinction.

From the first time I traveled in Mexico, I knew I would live here one day. In August 2022, I will have lived in Mexico for 25 years and I've loved every minute of it. Before moving SOB I worked at various jobs including at a nuclear power plant and I managed an Arabian horse ranch. I was 50 when I moved here, so I had to work for 12 years before I received my social security. I opened a small gallery called Avant Gourd and sold my gourd art. Soon after, I moved and began selling Mexican folk art all of this leading to when I decided to begin a Feria at lakeside.

Open Circle Ajijic

July 3, 2022
Presentation by Steve Nousen: Benjamin Franklin Returns to 1776
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/89tJ7lnSVzo" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Dr. Benjamin Franklin returns to Open Circle on July 3 at 10:30. Dr. Franklin will address the events growing out of the British aggression against the Patriots who continue to fight and die in the cause of Liberty. Since he made his last address at Open Circle, Dr. Franklin has recovered from an ill-fated diplomatic trip to Canada which nearly cost him his life. Upon his return to Philadelphia, he co-authored the Declaration of Independence and helped shepherd it through Congress. On September 11th, he met with the British commander in a last ditch effort to find a peaceful end to the war. That effort failed and the United States is now faced with a prolonged war. The setting for Dr. Franklin's latest Open Circle talk is dockside in Philadelphia. It is October 28, 1776 and the 70 year-old Franklin is about to depart on the most important mission of his career. The future of the United States hangs in the balance. Please come to wish Dr. Franklin success on his critical endeavor.

Award-winning teacher, actor, and lobbyist, Steven Nousen has presented Ben Franklin to countless audiences ranging in age from 9-90. He has entertained and informed people at conventions, schools, and universities. He has spoken at the National Geographic Society and the Library of Congress. In his presentations, the audience becomes part of the show. "Dr. Franklin" engages in dialogue with those in attendance. In marking the 246th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Steven will close the program with a reading of a revised and updated interpretation of the Declaration.

Open Circle Ajijic

June 19, 2022
Presentation by Dr. Daniel Acuff, Ph.D., M.S.P. (Masters in Spiritual Psychology): EXTRAORDINARY LIVING
A Personal Enhancement Presentation
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/mjbcezDdyXc" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

With Dr. Acuff as a guide, you as a participant can expect to explore various important keys to creating an extraordinary life experience. You will be invited and sometimes challenged to look at questions related to how you are currently fulfilling your needs and how this leads to your level of happiness. A high and consistent degree of happiness is a goal of extraordinary living. You, and we, will examine questions such as:
• What if any physical challenges do you experience?
• What are the causes of stress in your life?
• What makes you anxious? What do you worry about?
• What makes you sad?
• How’s your social life…from often feeling alone to being a bit overwhelmed?
• Do you feel safe? Physically? Emotionally?
• Do you feel stimulated intellectually? Often Bored?
• How do your beliefs help or hinder your happiness?
• What excites you?
• What activities make you happy? How can you do more of these?
• What brings you joy? How can you create more joy?
• What are you passionate about?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least happy, and 10 being ridiculously joyful most of the time, what number do you give yourself?
• What could you do or change to raise that number up?

Dr. Acuff has been a conference speaker and workshop leader in front of more than 6,000 participants around the globe – from South Africa to Norway. He has led seminars and workshops on topics such as Relationships, Breakthrough Performance, Success, Excellence of Communication, Handling of Breakdowns, Integrity, Creativity, Self-Expression, Leadership, Health and Fitness, Excellence, Commitment and Sex and Intimacy. He has consulted with participants from major corporations such as Disney, Kraft, Hallmark, Kellogg’s, ABC TV, M&M Mars, Marvel, Sega and the US Dept. of Agriculture. Dr. Acuff is the author of 14 books and a variety of articles related to human needs and motivation, communication and relationship.

Open Circle Ajijic

June 12, 2022
Presentation by Dr. Kelly Randolph Bennett: Meditation on the Go
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/O0FUPm_NNlM" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Meditation is the most valuable skill I have learned! To practice it formally takes time, effort, and planning. In meditation, we intentionally develop our brain, mind, body, and soul to manifest universal perspectives, where all possibilities exist. With more limited time, we can derive satisfaction from conversations with our source on the run. 24/7. Call this dual attention. Two sides of your brain carry on two separate activities at the same time, while connected to each other. imagine that! The familiar part is to maintain a focus on the practical activity at hand (call it local flow), while simultaneously uniting with the universal energies of creation (call it universal flow). With dual attention, the emphasis and intent are on unity with source, not on the practices. The lifeblood of unity runs through the quality of connection, enhanced by dual attention, and established by adequate opening (willingness) and expanding (inclusion).

Dr. Kelly Bennett began his career as a rocket scientist. Over the past 55 years, he has helped individuals and businesses around the world flourish by applying clinical, developmental, and neuro-psychology, brainwave optimization, meditation, and prayer as a psychologist and professor. While professionally credentialed, he has lived and practiced in the United States, Australia, South-east Asia, and Ecuador. He now resides with his wife Cheryl ("charlie") in Ajijic, Mexico.

To view additional presentations from our Open Circle 2022 series, ** CLICK HERE ** to visit the on-line archive. Archives of presentations from 2014 - 2021 are also available for viewing under the Videos tab on the Open Circle menu above.