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Day started off around 9:30 with a parade starting at the aquarium. A police escort out front and an previously-donated ambulance in the back. Up and down the malecon (boardwalk district) and through the downtown with sirens blazing! Locals and tourists all waving their hands with big grins. The perfect way to cap off an amazing week. Totally shut down the malecon for about an hour. Ended up in the yard of town hall (in front of the cathedral and town square).
We lined up the trucks and displayed all the equipment for all the newspapers and television crews. Then we were invited into the Mayor's (El Presidente Municipal) office (which is a huge deal here in mexico). Allan presented the mayor with some rotary gifts and a nice whitetail deer photo (the deer is Mazatlan's logo). The mayor was very apreciative of the entire project. Then we went outside for a public presentation and thankyous.
We then went for a drive up onto a hillside and met a very poor elementary school. Allan was surprised to find a library named after him "Allan Kuekle Biblioteca" (since he organized the fund raising for the books). A ribbon cutting ceremony made it official, and we were able to see some amazing kids and appreciative parents and teachers.
Most of us spent a few hours on the beach, but Harm and Murray spent the afternoon training bomberos on how to use the jaws of life.
At 8pm we all went over to Martin's house (Pepesan's brother) for dinner with many of the executive from local district rotary clubs. He had an amazing house in the old downtown with a very cool outdoor garden. Caterers served drinks, fresh tacos, and ice cream. The Mazatlan mayor and his wife made an appearance even though their evening schedule was already full. Our group was presented with gifts from the group of rotarians that was in charge of guiding us around (and protecting us) in Mexico. A very cool evening.
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