An Interview with the President of Pro Sayulita

Pro Sayulita is a local, non-profit organization made up of volunteers from our community. This group works to improve the conditions of living in Sayulita and also works with the Mexican government to help secure funding for local needs. The current president of Pro Sayulita, Jack Jones, sat down with El Sayulero to share more about Pro Sayulita and why your support is crucial.

When Pro Sayulita first formed in 2005, it was called Grupo Pro Sayulita. Why the name change?

We’re still the same group, but over time the name simply has shortened from Grupo Pro Sayulita to Pro Sayulita. The official name, however, is still Grupo Pro Sayulita.

Why did this group first form and who started it?

There are three original officers: Marcos Scott, Luis Verdin and Lazaro Cardenas. There are also nine other founding members, including Cap Sparling. Pro Sayulita started as a community organization to improve the community and make Sayulita a better place to live. After being incorporated, the first big project was partnering with the municipal government to create Sayulimpia, as trash clean-up was a huge focus. Pro Sayulita held a big fiesta to raise money and then bought a truck to use for garbage collection. Another big focus was, and continues to be, water treatment and safe water for the community.

Pro Sayulita supports several local organizations? Which ones are these?

One of our partners is SayulitAnimals, which is an animal welfare organization. Sayulimpia, which has three full time employees, is another partner. This group tries to coordinate with GRIISA (a private waste disposal company contracted by the municipal government) to keep up with the growing trash issues in town. We also have volunteers at the trash depot and recycle center which we support. Other partners include Eco Sayulita, which works towards making Sayulita a greener, more eco-friendly town, and Sayulita Verde, who plants trees and bushes in public places around town.  We partner with the Vigilantes, who are local volunteers who report ecology infractions, such as cutting down protected trees. We are also working with a group of local merchants towards Pueblo Magico status for Sayulita. In addition, we work with several groups that are not local, including Firefighters Crossing Borders, the state police, and Proteccion Civil, which provides our fire truck and ambulance service.  We also work with local and state government on infrastructure issues, such as water and sewage.

Pro Sayulita does have one paid employee, Oswaldo Vallejo. Can you tell us more about him and what his position entails?

Oswaldo is a consultant to the board of directors and is paid via direct donations, not general funds. He is our liaison with municipal, state and federal government and also works with our partner organizations, as well as interfaces with community groups and leaders. He provides oversight on employees, volunteers and program direction and is spearheading our efforts on the Pueblo Magico project. This is an important status and will allow the town to write its own regulations under broad guidelines and will be enforced by the state and municipal governments, while allowing us direct access to federal and state funds for needed physical infrastructure projects as well for social and cultural programs. Oswaldo has also coordinated lifeguard training, including seeking out volunteers for this program.

What current projects is Pro Sayulita working on?

We are working on gaining Pueblo Magico status, making water, sewer, and road improvements, keeping the beaches clean, ensuring the town has adequate fire, ambulance, and police service, and coordinating garbage cleanup with Sayulimpia, amongst other projects that come up.

Why should people support Pro Sayulita?

People should support Pro Sayulita because we work very hard to improve the quality of living for everyone who calls Sayulita home, as well as those who visit our pueblo.  We also support our local businesses in many ways. And again, we help to provide emergency services, lifeguards, trash services, and also help to keep our beaches clean and beautiful. We also purchased a fire truck and ambulance to ensure that our town has these services. We also support the state police by paying rent and utilities for them to be in Sayulita, which has dramatically reduced crime in town.

How can people support Pro Sayulita?

We encourage each person who owns a business or home in Sayulita to become a member of Pro Sayulita. Membership is only $500 USD per year and helps to provide invaluable services. We also have a seasonal resident membership at only $365 USD per year. Through Friends of Sayulita, our sister organization in the US, you can receive a letter to be used for tax deductions.

People can also attend our fundraisers. Our next one is coming up on December 11^th at Ruben’s Ranch and is sure to be a great time. If you haven’t already purchased your ticket, you can do so at Ruben’s Deli.

Volunteers are also very important. They clean up the beach, they teach English classes to police, firemen, and other interested parties, and they host government officials in their homes who visit Sayulita to help with pueblo issues. For instance, just this week, Las Hamacas, has donated housing for Fighters Crossing Borders, some of whose members have come down from Canada and the USA to train local volunteers as lifeguards.

 Any final thoughts or words?

We are very excited about Pueblo Magico and we think that the status will benefit everyone in our pueblo.  We expect the government to help beautify Sayulita, and improve the infrastructure, including our roads. This is also a great way for our town to become more involved in all future planning that has to do with Sayulita.