Night of fun at Sequim sports bar to benefit young women, Mujeres de Maiz scholarships

SEQUIM — A chance to dance, play pool and darts, and otherwise enjoy a night at the Oasis comes Friday, as Danni Lowe of Sequim throws a fundraising party.

The event, from 8 p.m. until midnight at the Oasis Sports Bar & Grill, 301 E. Washington St., is a benefit for the Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation, the Sequim nonprofit that funds scholarships for girls in rural Chiapas, Mexico.

DJ OB 1 will supply the dance-friendly music, Lowe promised; admission is a suggested donation of $5.

“It’s great to be able to use my talents for a good cause,” said DJ OB 1, aka Owen Blake. “I will be spinning open-format style, which includes everything from modern, cutting-edge dance music to timeless classics, all seamlessly blended into one continuous mix without missing a beat,” he promised.

“For example, one turntable could have a popular ’80s rock song playing, and the other turntable would have a current top 40 hit” to complement it.

This live action is hard to explain, Blake admitted; he urges the mystified to come hear for themselves.

Mujeres de Maiz

Patrons will have the opportunity as well to learn about Mujeres de Maiz activities, which have blossomed over the past five years.

Judith Pasco, a retired Sequim High School Spanish teacher long known as Doña, established Mujeres in 2006 with the hope of helping a few girls finish high school.

Today, the foundation is funding college scholarships for 19 young women, plus Saturday morning enrichment programs for children, literacy training for adults and even eye exams and glasses for people in rural Chiapas.

Lowe, a student of Pasco’s at Sequim High from 1999 through 2003, went on to earn a degree in Spanish at the University of Washington. She focused her studies on Mexican indigenous women’s rights — and found herself galvanized, much as Pasco was many years ago when she first traveled to Chiapas.

The Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation has a straightforward mission, Lowe said: to support education for women and girls, so they may strengthen their communities in Mexico.

Gift certificates

Also Friday night, Lowe will hold drawings for prizes including gift certificates from local cafes and restaurants.

She’ll sell tickets for $1 each during the first two hours of the fundraiser.

“It is really lovely of Danni to do this for us,” Pasco said. “She has taken the ball and is running with it.”

Lowe plans to travel to Chiapas in December to meet the Mujeres de Maiz scholarship recipients. She also hopes to enter graduate school and is researching master’s degree programs.

To learn more about the foundation, visit www.MujeresdeMaizOF.org, phone 360-683-8979 or write to Mujeres, P.O. Box 1954, Sequim, WA 98382.

________

Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3550 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in Life

Suzan Mannisto, co-manager of Pioneer Memorial Park, introduces the “Pathway Accessible to All Project” as Sequim Irrigation Festival Prince Malachi Byrne looks on. (Sequim Prairie Garden Club)
Garden Club launches path at Pioneer Memorial Park

Organization seeking additional grants, fundraising

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Zane Rensen, 6, of Port Angeles receives patriotic face paint from Port Angeles High School cheerleader Madison Bishop in the children's activity tent at Port Angeles City Pier during Friday's Independence Day celebration.
Independence celebration

Port Angeles celebrated Independence Day with sights and sounds of America on… Continue reading

Map of lots available in Port Angeles from 1890.
BACK WHEN: Port Angeles celebrating 135 years on July 4

HERE IT IS. July 5, and we celebrated the 249th anniversary of… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
A crew erects an activity tent on Thursday in the parking lot of Port Angeles City Pier in preparation for today's Independence Day events. For a list of July 4 activities, see today's on-line edition of the Peninsula Daily News.
In tents preparation

A crew erects an activity tent on Thursday in the parking lot… Continue reading

Blaine Hammond
ISSUES OF FAITH: Look through the lens of love

THE NEW TESTAMENT says many things about God, but only once does… Continue reading

Niobe Weaver
Speaker scheduled for Sunday service at Unity in Olympics

Niobe Weaver will present “Gratitude” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Speaker set at Unity in Port Townsend for weekend service

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Freedom and Community”… Continue reading

The Wisdom of Avalon oracle series slated for six weeks

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will lead the six-week series… Continue reading

About 15 hardy cyclists from the Victoria area came across on the early Coho ferry Tuesday to ride up to the top of Hurricane Ridge on their Canada Day July 1st. The cyclist made the round trip in about 4 hours in time for the return noon ferry  back home. This yearly trek has been happening for over 20 years and is organized by word of mouth through various cycle shops in the greater Victoria area. The numbers of riders was down considerably this year as riders shared that many felt “uncomfortable" coming over to America with the current political situation.
     ID: The cyclist are riding on 8th Street in PA for their approach to the park entrance. The round trip is about 34 miles. dlogan
Canada Day riders

About 15 hardy cyclists from the Victoria, B.C., area came across on… Continue reading

Photos by Karen Griffiths
Top: Earlier this month, Patterned Speed Horse Super Senior Division rider Sam Parks, 74, on Ed, finished the barrel race in just 15.08 seconds at the Crosby arena, 122 Franson Road in Agnew. The next show there will be July 5-6. Bottom: 4L arena belt buckle awards.
HORSEPLAY: The dangers of feeding others’ horses

THE AUDACITY OF throwing grass clippings over a fence to a neighbor’s… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Sage advice for growing Mediterranean herbs

WELL, NOW THAT July is soon here (Tuesday) and the Lavender Festival… Continue reading