On Sunday September 16th 170 adults and children gathered for an authentic Tico-style breakfast at Lagarta Lodge, where a successful effort was made to collect donations for the Nosara Development Association on behalf of earthquake damaged homeowners.

When the earth finished shaking, Lagarta Lodge owners Regina and Amadeo Amacker took note that although their hotel had survived unscathed, there were plenty of other people whom had very nearly lost everything. “We were so happy that we didn't have any damage,” Regina said. “So we wanted to do something to say thank you for not having been seriously affected.”. Several of the cases arising from the Sept. 5th earthquake were found to have been built without permits or zoning characteristics which are necessary for government assistance and intervention, those families and individuals have been effectively left up the Nosara river without a paddle. “We want to help them,” said  Marcos Avila, President of de Nosara Development Association (NDA). “That's not to say that the government hasn't helped the situation here in Nosara. They've helped a lot, but we want to help those who can't seek help through traditional sources.” With families, singles, Ticos and foreigners all dining together in the beautiful morning light, the affair raised close to $1,500. “We're going to review how much we've collected,” Avila told VON. “Then we will figure out who needs what the most, like materials and medicine among other items, and then we will disburse the funds to those people, such as the families with fallen homes who don't have access to BAMBI, the government's housing fund.”		Lagarta Lodge owner Regina Amacker (left) serves up a pair of plates during a breakfast fundraiser.
		NDA vocal Marina Cordero gets some assistance in picking a raffle winner at Lagarta Lodge.
		Lagarta Lodge owner Amadeo Amacker prepares plates to serve at the fundraiser.

“Our donation were our expenses,” said Regina. “The breakfast and space are our cost. So everyone who paid, everyone who donated, one-hundred percent of that money goes to the Association.”

Spanish instructor and academic coordinator Silvia Coto, from the Nosara Spanish Institute, donated her time to collect donations and payment for the $6 breakfast menu, a generous helping of gallo pinto, queso blanco, eggs, ham and bacon.

“We were expecting many people to show,” she said. “Lots of people replied to the Facebook page, so we figured with the well-priced breakfast, many people would come out.”

Regina described the community gathering, about half and half locals and foreign residents, as “perfect.”

“The mix between peoples, between Ticos and local residents is perfect,” she said. “We consider ourselves to be a sustainable hotel, and that isn't always about the environment. We want to make a difference in the community as well, it's about social responsibility.”

As summed up by Coto: “The earth is still moving, and so I think we feel like we are still going to need each other.”