Seaside Rotary’s “Sneaker Lady” and Friends Host Charity Waffle Party at The Royal Haciendas
Seaside Rotarian Judy Walburn is a force of nature. No matter where she is…back in her hometown in Pennsylvania or here in her second “home” at the Royal Haciendas in Playa del Carmen…Judy is a magnet for good will and generosity. This week was certainly no exception.
While vacationing with her husband Scott. Judy was approached by a fellow guest who had heard on the Hacienda coconut phone (our Mexican Caribbean version of the grape vine) that she was hoping to plan another distribution in one of Playa del Carmen’s underserved neighborhoods.
While many of Judy’s friends and fellow travelers are more than happy to contribute, either by bringing down a few pairs of sneakers in their luggage or by donated money to the cause. These folks had another idea. A tasty idea. A waffle party!
Longtime Royal Resorts members Joni and Darcy Szarzynski are no strangers to waffles. They once owned a waffle franchise called Minnesota Malted Waffle and, in years past, hosted waffle parties at the resort—always just for their friends. This year, they decided to make it something bigger. After seeing Judy’s posts about Kicks4Kids, they reached out to her, despite never having met before, to propose turning their waffle party into a fundraiser.
Darcy and Joni took care of everything, coordinating with the resort to arrange the location and setup, purchasing all the supplies—including waffle mix, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, ice cream and sprinkles—and gathering a small team of family and friends to help. Absolutely everything was donated and they were able to use the waffle irons at the resort. The awesome Royal Haciendas activities team pitched in by helping with graphics for the advertising board and donation jar.
The response was fantastic! With Judy’s announcements at Casino Night and Bingo the day before, the event drew a great crowd. They served waffles to 150 guests, including some resort staff, and even made a few extra the next day for their favorite employees. By the end of the event, they had raised an impressive amount for Kicks4Kids, over 1500 USD with additional donations still trickling in. That will put a lot of sneakers on a lot of little feet!
This was more than just a delicious treat—it was a beautiful example of how a simple idea, a generous spirit, and a little teamwork can make a real difference. A heartfelt thank you to Darcy and Joni for their generosity, to everyone who came out to support the event, and to Judy for always being a spark for kindness.
