SETAC & PVMC Thanks Vallarta for Making 'Community Cares' a Huge Success Paco Arjona - SETAC | |
November 15, 2012 |
On Sunday evening, November 11, The Puerto Vallarta Men's Choir (PVMC) and cast members of the smash hit The Rocky Horror Show entertained over 120 men and women at the Community Cares gala and dinner fundraiser benefiting SETAC and the PVMC.
Held at the elegant Bistro Balsamar in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romantica, the event raised more than 40,000 pesos. The money will be divided equally between SETAC and the PVMC.
Francisco Javier Arjona Barbosa, the Executive Director of SETAC and host of the gala, greeted the assembled guests by reiterating SETAC mission. "Our goal," he said, "is to build a free community, safe and friendly, full of love and acceptance for anyone who comes through our doors."
He explained that SETAC will use its share of the proceeds for distributing powdered milk to the children of mothers living with the HIV virus, HIV testing and outreach facilities and HIV awareness and prevention marketing and advertising campaign.
Keeping his remarks brief and to the point, Paco Arjona introduced Dra. Iliana Marcela Ruiz Orozco, HIV coordinator for the clinic CAPASITS, Member of the Board of Directors, and Fernando Martinez Diaz, HIV Coordinator of the Municipal Aids Committee from the new Government of Puerto Vallarta, who proudly endorsed not only SETAC but the organization's effort in bringing a much needed cohesion to a community struggling with the stigma of HIV/AIDS and its prevention and treatment.
Also introduced were the organizers of Sunday's gala, longtime community activists Craig Hinman, Jacques Bourguignon and Joyce Pate, thanking them for their tireless efforts in helping SETAC attain its goals.
After the brief remarks, the evening truly began. The brash, bright, talented cast members from The Rocky Horror Show got the evening off to a boisterous start by singing and dancing their way through several of the show's most well known numbers. By the second number, the audience was singing along, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
After that, Bob Bruneau, President of the PVMC introduced selected members of the choir and led the group in three rousing numbers. He announced that the PVMC next event is the Alegria on Vallarta Theater and will utilize the full cadre of the Men's Choir.
As the event was ending, Arjona said, "It is truly inspiring to see so much local talent - and local support - in one place united by the common cause of bringing awareness to the HIV crisis and to building a safe, free and friendly environment for the GLBT community in Puerto Vallarta."
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