MCA will carry out its activities at the facility Casa Connor which was donated to Pasitos de Luz and has a long-standing history with the directors and founders of MCA. Casa Connor currently has space and equipment to carry out our initiatives which makes Pasitos de Luz an ideal intermediary for carrying out our services.
In 2011 Casa Connor was a dream for the Vanderveens and Peter & Teena Oudman, who live in Calgary in Canada. The families dedicated themselves to building a facility for children with special needs with the help of a dedicated board of directors and many compassionate donors. Their vision was focused on building a facility that would have the space, required equipment and respite capacity for disabled children and one that would make the children feel special.
Their passion was driven by the Vanderveen’s son, and Peter & Teena’s grandson, Connor, who passed away in 2011 from Hunter Syndrome at the age of 15. Grateful for the compassion and care that Connor received throughout his short life span, they wanted to give back by helping the special needs community of Pasitos de Luz in the Bay of Banderas. The families had become close friends and supporters of Pasitos de Luz during their frequent vacations to Puerto Vallarta. Their vision was to build a castle so the children could feel magic in their lives every day. The Oudmans and Vanderveens also volunteer with MCA for the annual fiesta dinner fundraiser.
On January 9, 2017, the Pasitos de Luz children began attending their new home – Casa Connor. The Pasitos de Luz children love being at Casa Connor and they have space and room to grow and flourish which makes the facility an ideal location for carrying out our MCA initiatives. The smiles on their faces when they get off the bus each day has made this dream so worthwhile for everyone involved. The Vanderveen and Oudman families were instrumental in the formation of C.A.S.A. Caring Abroad of Society of Alberta and continue to be an integral part of MCA Mexico’s Canadian Angels Foundation as supporters and volunteers.