Community Service on the Riviera Nayarit

Many wonderful people help out with community service on the Riviera Nayarit, and  if there is one thing I love to write about is people that help people by doing community service; paying it forward. Paying it forward is the best way to allow your grace to shine out from within.  This is exactly how these two folks live their lives.
This week I would like to honor Bucerias Mexico residents Harold and Sue Sokolove  for their Riviera Nayarit community service endeavors.
Harold and Sue moved to Bucerias about 10 years ago. Harold and Sue lived in Waco Texas (a small town of 12,000 people) where they resided for 22 years before relocating to Bucerias.  Harold was a USPS mail carrier and Sue worked as an industrial engineer for the M&M Mars Candy Company. Harold was also a volunteer for the Waco Fire Department as well as in Iowa for 17 years.
Sue and Harold had spent many years vacationing in Puerto Vallarta and fell in love with the PV  and Riviera Nayarit area like so many of us have. Harold states, “Retirement meant that we could go anywhere we wanted. We met lots of people who vacationed here at the same time, and who were also planning to move or already had moved here.” Sue says she loves to live here “Because something unexpected always happens.” And isn’t that the truth!
Harold told me that Sue speaks Spanish quite well, however, also commenting that he is too lazy to practice, but can minimally converse because he took a couple of courses from Sean at the former BBCC. (Bucerias Bilingual Community Center in Bucerias.) They were also volunteers in the Waco Texas city government and also volunteered with a major Waco charity bike ride in Texas. The energy of volunteering and paying it forward followed them to Bucerias Mexico.

Harold was the former president of the Amigos de Bucerias, (2006-2008), and the original person for the PEACE adoption table at Mega (the former BBCC). They currently work with the Bucerias Children’s Library, Manos de Amor (Bucerias orphanage), Paraiso Felino Cat Shelter, and help with street repairs and clean-ups in Col. Las Palmas and Dorada, the reforestation project and the monthly Bucerias beach clean-ups. Sue also is a member of the Beta Sigma Phi service sorority.Since their relocation Harold has been a volunteer firefighter/bombero for the Proteccion Civil Bahia de Banderas and the State of Nayarit, as well has Sue from time to time over the years.

Bringing in Medical Supplies
Approximately 5 years ago they met Dianne Deboer who is a Critical Care nurse in a Calgary Canada hospital who had purchased a condo at the Aqua in the Flamingos development Nuevo Vallarta. Harold knew from working with the Proteccion Civil that there was always a need for first aid, medical supplies and equipment for their ambulances. Dianne had explained that she was always throwing away good medical supplies at her hospital. (Which I am sure is standard Canadian protocol.) From that point on Dianne began to bring medical supplies every time she came down and Harold and Sue were able to distribute them to the paramedics of Proteccion Civil, the local hospitals and Centro Salud (health centers), which were very well received. Harold tells me, “On one occasion, I arranged the donation to be covered by a Mexican newspaper reporter. I sent Dianne a copy of the newspaper story and she posted it on the hospital wall. Soon, other nurses were salvaging what would otherwise be thrown away under normal hospital policy.” Over the years, this is how Harold and Sue met the directors of the Proteccion Civil Nayarit.
How do you find a Free Fire Truck?
The current director, Maritn Tapia Miranda contacted them about 3 months ago, explaining that he had a friend in San Hose California who was a retired firefighter who bought and sold used fire trucks. He explained that his friend offered the PCE (Proteccion Civil Estadal) a used fire truck for free and only charging for the equipment that it carries which were the hoses, nozzles, ladders, power generator and other miscellaneous tools. Martin contacted them about “supporting” the campaign to get the fire truck for the newly opened PC base in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, who at the time only had one ambulance and one water tanker. Harold said, “The amount of money he needed was not out-of-line for what he told me came with the fire truck (a 1972 pumper), so after a little discussion we said OK.” Some of the moneys they collected were from people who donate money to them, so in turn can be distributed in lump sums to local community service groups and charities that have projects that need funding. They also received permission from the local Fire Chief to offer fire truck rides as a means to raise more funds for the fire department that were needed to purchase supplies and also for maintenance. It has all come together and the fire truck is now stationed in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and is also available to respond anywhere in the municipality. WOW! This is how you get a fire truck donated! ­­­
Harold and Sue keep busy so “We can really enjoy the times when we’re not busy. We have a good time; it keeps us from being bored and we hope it makes the community service organizations more successful.” When they do have time to relax they enjoy going to their newer home of 3 years in Guadalajara. They have some new projects coming up this high season and it will be interesting to see what develops!
Kudos to you, Harold and Sue Sokolove for holding the energy to help others and showing all of us through their example how Riviera Nayarit community service (or no matter where you are) can make a difference in the community. Thank you so much for all you both do for our communities here in Mexico. You are an amazing example of Grace in action.
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