Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Behind the unassuming brick wall at the corner of Aquiles Serdán and Pino Suarez, right across from the main entrance to Molino de Agua condominiums on Vallarta's South side, lies a delightful patio and garden restaurant called Casa Fantasia.

If you have never had the pleasure of a meal there, here is the perfect opportunity. The International Friendship Club (IFC) will host its end of season brunch there on Sunday, April 13 at 10:00 am. Tickets are $200 pesos and help raise funds for charitable giving. Members, guests, and visitors alike are welcome.

There will be door prizes and a raffle. This is always a very festive occasion as the IFC celebrates another successful season. The Casa Fantasia Brunch offers a delightful buffet menu. The starters include choices of a Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad, Green Salad Vinaigrette, Deviled Eggs, and Apple Salad with Walnuts.

The entrees are your choice of Eggs Benedict, Scrambled Eggs, Chicken Fajitas, Strawberry Blintzes, Arrachera Steak Ranchero served with Bacon, Smoked Ham, Pancakes, and sides of House Potatoes and Bread. Complimentary Beverages include Orange Juice, Coffee, Brewed Decaf, and Herbal Teas. Mimosas or Champagne are available for an extra charge.

This IFC season has contained much to savor as well: A very successful 27th season of Home Tours as well as a Botanical Gardens and Zoo Tour this year. Tour revenue is the main source of fundraising for the IFC Cleft Palate Surgery program, also in its 27th season.

The Cleft Palate Program brings doctors from Guadalajara four times each season treating almost 200 children from birth until adulthood as their condition requires. Our thanks go out to the medical team, volunteers, local businesses, and the CMQ Hospital and the Villanueva family for their assistance in making this program an ongoing success.

In addition to supporting the Cleft Palate children, the monies raised by the IFC have allowed them to operate as a "United Way" in Vallarta. Among other programs supported this season are a new English Outreach Program teaching English to local Mexicans, and a Dental Outreach Program for children of Boca de Tomatlán and the south shore area.

A new Education Committee has approved 7 new grants that support educational initiatives underway in some of Vallarta's most economically challenged areas. A revamped Patrocinio Program encourages members to sponsor, with IFC financial support, a local resident who has a specific medical problem requiring one-time financial assistance.

In addition the IFC continues to support a monthly Rice and Beans program giving aid to various community centers that provide daycare, meals, and tutoring in impoverished areas, emergency monies are available to needy families, and school supplies are widely distributed.

A growing list of local charities receive ongoing financial support from the club. This year the following charities have been added: orphanages Corazon de Nina and Casa Hogar Maximo Cornejo and humanitarian and service organizations Dives in Miseracordia, Arroyos de Esperanza, CANICA, and SETAC. Ongoing IFC aid also continues strong to the following charities: Pasitos de Luz, RISE, Salvation Army, and Clinical Santa Barbara de Rehabilitacion.

In addition to funding charities the IFC offers numerous social activities, card games, movies, fundraising events, and classes and lectures throughout the season. The IFC has two websites that you can visit for more information. For Club information: ifcvallarta.com and for Tours information: ifctoursforvallarta.com.

Special thanks go out to Dan Grippo for a very successful first year as IFC President, as well as all of the IFC Executive Board members, Advisory Board team, Tours Team, and volunteers who have contributed countless hours to make these IFC programs run smoothly this year. The IFC is a volunteer organization and without the help of its members none of this could be possible.