Log in

Medicare Advantage Plans in Mexico

Enjoy Medicare Advantage In Puerto Vallarta

Introducing Yara Sánchez, Top Rated Real Estate Agent
16
Thu, Jul

Start Giving Now for Vallarta's Largest Children's Celebration

Photo Credit: Jay Sadler Project A.C. / Commander Rey Spearo

Around The Bay
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Building on the foundational work of Jay Sadler and Dennis Rike, a new generation of veteran leadership is gearing up for the largest Three Kings Day toy delivery in Banderas Bay.

While toy drives are traditionally associated with December, preparing for Puerto Vallarta's largest children's celebration requires months of planning, logistics, and most importantly, early funding. To ensure that thousands of children across the Banderas Bay region experience the joy of the holidays in 2026, we need the community's support right now.

The scope of this effort is massive. Earlier this year, on January 23 and 26, volunteers delivered toys to students at Jardín de Niños Héroes de Patria and Jardín de Niños Gabriela Mistral. These deliveries, timed around Three Kings Day, represent a continuous lineage of disciplined volunteer work that has tangible roots—and receipts—in our city.

For the expatriate community and local residents alike, let me be plain: this isn't a one-off holiday photo op. It is a sustained, year-round operation.

A Foundation of Civic Duty

The groundwork for this community infrastructure was laid by the late Richard “Jay” Sadler (1937–2020). A U.S. Navy veteran, Sadler proved something simple yet rare: consistent, disciplined volunteer labor can rebuild and sustain real community infrastructure.

That model was subsequently sharpened and professionalized by the late Dennis Armond Rike (1942–2025). A former fire chief and civic leader, Rike brought a critical layer of structural integrity, logistics rigor, and long-term municipal alignment to how the organization operates today.

The Crew Keeping the Machine Moving

Today, the Jay Sadler Project A.C. continues its mission under a dedicated leadership team that includes Donna Wong and President Captain Peter Vine. Operational continuity is heavily reinforced by Oliver Vidal Pascual, working alongside the Toys for Tots distribution team featuring Linda Vasquez and Laura Torres.

This crew is the engine keeping the machine honest and moving forward. They handle the critical, behind-the-scenes work: volunteer coordination, precise needs assessments with local schools, sorting and routing logistics, and the transparent handling of funds and materials.

The Time to Act is Now

To match and exceed previous years, where over 4,500 toys were distributed to kindergartens from Lo de Marcos to Cabo Corrientes, the collection of funds and toys must begin well before the winter months. By starting donations now, the team can secure the necessary resources, organize distribution routes, and ensure no child is forgotten during the upcoming 2026 holiday season.

Modernizing Support for Veterans and Families

My own role sits inside that continuity while signaling the next step forward. While my public service locally started through The American Legion Post 12, the evolving needs we are seeing today—ranging from cross-border bureaucracy and isolation to modern scams—require a delivery layer that can scale without losing accountability.

That is why I am currently building the Ember/Astrid initiative through 810ALLVETS.ORG. Designed as a voice-first system, its primary goal is to route veterans and their families directly to real-world help and trusted local operators.

The work continues, bridging the proven models of the past with the necessary tools of the future. Please consider making a donation today to ensure that the 2026 celebrations are our most impactful yet.

Community Contact & Resources:

  • To Donate or Volunteer: Please contact the Jay Sadler Project A.C. to contribute to the upcoming Toys for Tots campaign.

  • Veterans Assistance (Ember/Astrid): +1-810-255-8387 (Voice-first public front-door line)

  • Media & Expat Community Inquiries: Commander Rey Spearo is available for brief interviews regarding the Jay Sadler lineage and community transition efforts via Text/WhatsApp at +1 702-334-5228.

Editorial Note on Privacy: No children’s names have been provided in the press materials. We ask that the community respect the privacy of local minors by avoiding identifying them by name in any shared photographs.