Sunday Morning Presentations, 10:30 - 11:30

Featured Presentations Scheduled for Your Enjoyment in the LCS Gardens

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



Eduardo Ramos Cordero with Philip Rylett Open Circle Ajijic

October 2, 2022
Presentation by Eduardo Ramos Cordero with Philip Rylett: The hidden traditions of Ajijic
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

There are so many wonderful Ajijic traditions which are very visible. But there are others that we either don't see, or simply don't understand what is happening. Eduardo Ramos, affectionately known in the village simply by the nickname Lalo, will recount those traditions that have survived and are still practiced today - sometimes discretely and sometimes hidden in plain sight.

Lalo is Ajijic´s cronista, an title given to those who are charged with keeping the stories of the pueblo. As a teenager, he recognized that many stories of the older folk might disappear, so he collected them. He also organizes the Easter Passion Play as well as many lesser known events. He has revived many traditions lost to the past.
Lucky Dog Open Circle Ajijic

October 9, 2022
Presentation by Lucky Dog: Rescue and Adoption Center
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Lucky Dog Rescue and Adoption Center is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the rescue and adoption of abandoned and abused dogs in the Lake Chapala area. Lucky Dog is a no-kill shelter run solely by a group of dedicated volunteers, led by a volunteer board. Their only income is from private donations.

Our volunteers ensure our dogs are walked, fed and loved daily. Vet appointments, routine vaccinations, worm and flea treatments, and adoption services are also handled by volunteers.

Lucky Dog has expanded a lot since its inception in 2012, adding additional runs, a playing/training field, safety doors on the kennels, shade coverings for the play yards, and more.

Lucky Dog is its own entity and relies on private donations to cover costs. Services provided for the dogs include spay/neuter, emergency services, long-term recovery care, special foods and medicines, and of course, the loving care from volunteers. For most dogs the costs are low, but costs for injured or sick dogs can be much more, including surgery, other medical needs and the time and care required for healing. Our current vet is Dra. Laura Medina Gomez, who visits weekly, generously offers her time and services at a generous price.
Toastmaster Club Open Circle Ajijic

October 16, 2022
Presentation by Toastmaster Club: Facing our Stereotypes Together
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Two Americans and two Mexicans will discuss the stereotypes that exist about citizens of our two countries and how they distort and affect the relationships between our peoples. Questions such as these will be explored:

- Do these stereotypes affect our ability to create friendships?

- Do these stereotypes affect how we treat our neighbors and for NOB expats how we treat people hired to help us or do work for us?

- Is language our only barrier to closer ties with our sister countries?

Attendees are invited to participate in the discussion.

Presenters: Alfredo Pérez Aldana is a native of Guadalajara and is currently the Director of Education at LCS. Marissa Urrutia Martinez is a native of Monterrey, Mexico and has lived in the Chapala area for the past 17 years. Ken Knittel is a native of Texas and has lived in the Chapala - Jocotepec area for the past 13 years. Sarana Donaldson is a native of the northeastern United States and has lived in San Antonio Tlyacapan for 5 1/2 years. All four presenters are members of the Lago de Chapala Toastmasters Club.
Keith Lindauer Open Circle Ajijic

October 23, 2022
Presentation by Keith Lindauer: Earthships and Rainwater Harvesting A Gateway to Sustainable Living
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

Earthships are off-grid homes constructed from recycled and repurposed materials generally discarded from society. Old car tires, glass bottles and aluminum cans are the primary building blocks of these homes. Powered by the sun, heated and cooled by the earth’s abundant and free energy sources, with all domestic water harvested from the rain and snowmelt, Earthships are affordable to build, attractive and perhaps the healthiest homes you can build.

Renegade architect Mike Reynolds, aka the Garbage Warrior is father of the Eartship and the gladiator for change and salvation of the planet. I am a soldier in Mike’s army. I will show you what Earthships are, how they are built and how and why they could change your life - and the environment - for the better.

Rainwater Collection Lakeside

As water continues to be a serious problem in the Lake Chapala region, RainManMx has stepped outside the box and designs and installs rainwater collection systems for homes business and schools. RainMan will tell you how it’s done, and why you and your environment will benefit from drinking the rain.

Keith Lindauer is a traditionally educated and trained architect gone rogue.

In 1996, after an encounter in Colorado with New Mexico architect, Mike Reynolds, Keith’s life took a left turn. He discovered Earthships and sustainable building, including straw bale houses, cob and adobe. The next 25 years was devoted to green building, planning and developing sustainable communities and off-grid homes across the Americas.


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



Rex Gale Open Circle Ajijic

September 25, 2022
Presentation by Ed tasca: The puzzling dissonance of Mexican national identify
YouTube link: Coming Soon!

This presentation is about how Mexico became Mexico, the story of Hernan Cortes and the seminal events that created what we now know as Mexican culture and national character. It is a nation that is uniquely hispanic but has rejected its hispanic identity for over five hundred years while stubornly clinging to a rich indigenous culture and roots.

Ed Tasca is from Philadelphia. His humor has been published in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, England, Italy, Australia and Norway. Ed has been writing a humor column for the Guadalajara Reporter since 2016. Ed has also worked as an actor at Lakeside Little Theater, where he performed his own one-man show, Mark Twain, Uncensored. And had another feature play performed at Bare Stage.
Rex Gale Open Circle Ajijic

September 11, 2022
Presentation by Bethany Putman: Reflections on 9/11
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/FLszF9LYR6Q" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

When the Twin Towers were attacked on September 11, 2001 Bethany Anne Putnam was living in Asheville, NC. Like most people, she wondered how she could be of assistance as she watched the broadcasts depicting the tragedy. Two and a half years prior to 9/11, Bethany founded an organization that addressed a need for nationally-based disaster relief within the Episcopal Church. Her phone rang on September 19th, and Trinity Episcopal Church was curious how quickly could she get to New York to help them. She packed a few bags and drove through the night, not knowing what to expect or how her days would be spent. Hired as the Disaster Director for St. Paul's Chapel, Bethany spent six weeks implementing systems, caring for the first responders and creating opportunities for hundreds of volunteers every day at Ground Zero. She had full security clearance for the entire site and she will provide a first-hand account of the days immediately following the attacks. It was equally heart-breaking and life-affirming to be in New York at that time. Bethany's stories will paint a picture of a city that came together and took care of each other in the most basic of ways. It was a humbling experience and she was proud to play a role alongside the brave men and women who were called upon to serve.

Twenty-one years ago, Bethany Anne Putnam was the foremost expert on domestic disaster relief and volunteer coordination within the Episcopal Church. Her experience and training led to being hired immediately following 9/11, as the Disaster Director of St. Paul's Chapel at Ground Zero in New York City.
Rex Gale Open Circle Ajijic

September 4, 2022
Presentation by Brian Mattes: Want to See a Great Drama? Check Out What Goes on Backstage at a Theatre!
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/a5Rjc4WmrBM" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Our presenter likes to say that for every person on stage, there are 5 more backstage whose difficult and hard work sometimes involves the best drama in the theatre. He will bring with him several people from Lakeside Little Theatre who will describe what goes into producing the shows you see on the Theatre’s stage.

Brian Mattes is President of Lakeside Little Theatre in Ajijic, Mexico’s oldest English-language theatre. Prior to retiring at year-end 2015, he was a federal lobbyist for 12 years. He holds a B.A. degree in Communications & Theatre and an M.B.A. from Temple University. He moved to Ajijic, Mexico in 2018.
Rex Gale Open Circle Ajijic

August 28, 2022
Presentation by Roberto de Alba: How to Clean the Water?
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/yARzGYxYB9o" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

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
Rex Gale Open Circle Ajijic

August 21, 2022
Presentation by Rex Gale: Don't Trust Your Gut: How to Make Better Decisions iIn life
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/OpgBL-2sQy0" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

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.
Terry Rosson Open Circle Ajijic

August 14, 2022
Presentation by Terry Rossen: Democracy Today: A global Look at 3 Types of Government
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/NDutYT2FAnI" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

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?
Negocios Magicos Ajijic Open Circle Ajijic

August 7, 2022
Presentation by Araceli Kopiloff & Katja Kohl: Negocios Magicos Ajijic
YouTube link: [a href="https://youtu.be/uHaJM0f0CP4" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

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]

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.