Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - As many of you know, Tom Swale, President of Puerto Vallarta's Amapas Neighborhood Association (ANA), passed away on May 30, 2018. As Tom was the heart and soul of our very active neighborhood association, and many members were out of town during the off season, it has taken the Board some time to reorganize and plan a proper and fitting farewell.

Tom's Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 17 at his beloved Los Muertos Beach. Hopefully, this date will allow those who were out of town for the summer to attend this gathering of remembrance.

Tom Swale: The President & Heart of Amapas

Tom Swale moved to Puerto Vallarta from Los Angeles in 2006, after a successful career as a television writer, with his long time partner Carl Romeo. Carl passed away in January, 2016 after a brief illness. Tom joined the ANA in 2012 as President and threw himself into the job with the passion and energy that everyone so admired.

Under his leadership, the association grew from 40 to over 350 members, and the annual budget grew by 20 times to over $1,000,000 pesos. The ANA became one of Puerto Vallarta's largest and most successful neighborhood associations, with a focus on promoting Responsible Development, improving streets and infrastructure, assuring security and providing social opportunities for members.

Among Tom's many accomplishments were paving of the entrance at Hortencias street; creating alliances with Puerto Vallarta police to address security issues; creating the Pulpito Drag Derby fundraiser held each year as part of Puerto Vallarta's Gay Pride event, and working closely with the city and many experts to create new zoning laws to promote Responsible Development in Amapas.

Tom's last major endeavor was to extend the sidewalk along Highway 200, which is used by many community residents and tourists alike. Approximately $500,000 Mexican Pesos will be needed to complete this project, and the ANA will announce a memorial fund to this end shortly. Anyone who would like to donate can do so by writing to treasurer(at)amapaspv.com.

Beloved by many in Puerto Vallarta for his dedication and optimism, Tom will be missed, but his work and his vision will not be forgotten nor laid aside.

"I won't mince words, losing Tom was a huge blow to our neighborhood association and to each of us personally," said long-time friend and Treasurer Don Pickens. "It was unexpected. When this brilliant light in the community went out so suddenly, we had to regroup and recover to decide how to move forward. But ultimately, we know that to honor Tom's work and memory each of us must step up to keep the ANA strong."

Tom himself expressed it best when, after the passing of his husband Carl, he said, "Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they shall never sit in."

The ANA will release more information about the November 17th Memorial Service in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more details.