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Praw wows Hong Kong
GIS student Praw performs to
a packed house in Hong Kong.
Mark Beales
Singing sensation Praw Brander represented Thailand as she performed in
front of a packed audience in Hong Kong on June 1.
Garden International School (GIS) student Praw, 14, beat hundreds of other
singers to win a spot in the show. Praw, who is in Year 9, went to Bangkok
to audition and was one of nine finalists to be picked. Praw took part in
the ‘Ruam Smai Big Band Concert’, which was sponsored by the Thai
government’s Ministry of Culture to promote youth relations between Thailand
and Hong Kong. The big band joined forces with the Hong Kong Music Academy
to perform at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.
Praw (centre) spent hours
rehearsing for the big event.
The Ruam Smai Big Band performed beautiful jazz and blues
songs, including musical compositions by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and
other Thai and English songs. Ruam Smai is a Thai Youth Big Band comprising
45 selected musicians aged 12 to 18 from all over the country. The selection
took several months and more than 700 hopefuls applied.
Soloist singer Praw performed “All That Jazz” with great enthusiasm for the
many VIP guests, children, parents and visitors to a full concert hall. The
Ruam Smai Big Band was conducted by Mr Wirat U-Tawaughn, chief conductor and
academic director of KPN Music in Bangkok.
There will be another performance on July 28 by the Ruam Smai Big Band at
the Thai Cultural Centre in Bangkok, which anyone can attend.
‘All That Jazz’ - Praw
impressed the audience with her amazing vocals.
Praw with chief conductor, Mr
Wirat U-Tawaughn.
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Regent’s Summer Camp is the biggest ever
Almost 90 children are taking part
in the Summer Camp at The Regent’s School Pattaya.
Tim Eaton
The Regent’s School Pattaya is currently hosting its biggest ever summer camp,
with almost 90 children taking part in three weeks’ of fun activities until 19
July. Children aged between 3 and 15 are enjoying a wide range of activities,
including a circus tricks workshop, origami, indoor football, sailing at the
Royal Varuna Yacht Club, volleyball, mountain biking, stories and songs, pony
trekking, snorkelling, a pool party and much, much more.
The school’s admissions director, Tim Eaton commented, “We’ve
been delighted to welcome such a large number of children into The Regent’s
School for the first part of their summer holiday, and they are having a great
time. All the camp staff teach at The Regent’s during term time, so families
appreciate that what their children are getting is delivered by well-qualified
leaders who know how to make learning fun.”
Tucking into Tacos
The Year 9 Spanish language students
visit Sunrise Tacos in Jomtien.
Arjit Verma
Garden International School (GIS) students had a chance to visit Sunrise
Tacos, a restaurant serving Spanish food in Jomtien.
Many of them grabbed this chance and had an amazing experience. The Year 9
students, who study Spanish at GIS, left school and were soon at their
destination, where they were warmly welcomed with Spanish snacks.
After ordering, the aroma of nachos, burritos and tacos soon arrived. Teachers
Señor Antonio and Señora Cecilia, who came with the students, also enjoyed the
traditional food. After everybody was done, they left taking with them memories
of Spanish food and their time at Sunrise Tacos.
GIS is based in Ban Chang, which is close to Pattaya. For more details, visit
www.gardenrayong.com.
Tucking in to tacos - GIS
students enjoyed their Spanish lunch.
Spanish teacher Senora Cecilia
joins the students for a taste of home.
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The Canadian Jackalope Open and
Jesters Care for Kids living with HIV and disabilities
Lewis Underwood
The 15th Annual Canadian Jackalope Open is coming up quickly on Friday, August
2nd at Burapha Golf and Country Club with a Stableford format and shotgun start
at 12 noon. This charity tournament is their fund-raiser for the Camillian
children living with HIV and disabilities. If you would like more information
about this event, please go to http://jackalopeopen.
org/jackalope-open-2013-update/
Tewid and his mother at the Camillian Home in Lat
Krabang.
Since 2008, the Canadian Jackalope Open has been a Diamond Sponsor, or 400,000
baht plus donor, for the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive. They joined forces
with us then, with the proviso that all funds raised from their tournament would
go to the children at the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang and the Camillian Child
Care Center in Rayong. Since we were also staunch supporters of the Camillians,
we agreed to their terms, and vowed to sweeten the pot from our side too. And,
as a result, over the last 5 years, we have collectively provided 3,470,000 baht
for the children at these facilities.
In 2008, when we asked Father Giovanni where our joint donation might be best
utilized, he suggested we cover the 24/7 care-giving, physical therapy and
anti-retroviral medication (ARV) for two children living with HIV and severe
disabilities.
One of the children is a girl, Fey, 9 years old, who was born HIV-positive and
abandoned by her parents at birth in a Nong Khai hospital. She was blind and
mentally impaired, most likely from her untreated HIV infection.
After starting the administration of ARV’s, in conjunction with physical therapy
and loving care, her demeanor improved markedly and now, 5 years later, she is
able to walk with assistance too.
The other child is a 16 year old boy, Tewid, who was also born HIV-positive and
due to late administration of ARV’s had become partially paralyzed with mental
impairment. Today, he enjoys listening to music, and spending time with other
resident children. He is often found smiling, recognizes his care givers, and
able to sit up on his own. His mother, who is deaf from her own HIV infection,
also stays and cares for him at the Center.
In addition, Fah Sai, the 5-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, who was neglected
and abandoned, is now the 3rd child under our umbrella at the Camillian Home. We
featured her in last week’s issue of the Pattaya Mail.
Fey sitting up. We, the Jackalope and Jesters, have
been covering Tewid and Fey’s 24/7 care for the last 6 years.
Presently there are 22 resident children at the Home, 14 of those are orphaned
and 12 are HIV positive. There are also 37 regular day visitors, who come for
basic education and physical therapy. Most of the kids in question are afflicted
by physical disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, autism, Down’s syndrome
and/or learning impairment.
There are also 34 dedicated staff members at the center, who together work
8-hour shifts around the clock, every day of the year.
Besides the 24/7 care for the above 3 kids, every year, the Canadian Jackalope
and Jesters take the 50-70 Camillian kids from the Rayong projects to Big C for
Christmas shopping and in the spring on an excursion of their choice. Last
April, we went with them to Siam City Park, a sensational amusement park in
Bangkok. If you would like to learn how you can help these disabled children,
please visit go to www.care4kids.info
or
www.facebook.com/jesterscare.forkids.
Please remember that our Main Events are coming up soon:
* Children’s Fair: Sunday, September 8th, at The Regent’s School Pattaya
Gala Party Night: Saturday, September 21st, at Amari Orchid Pattaya
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1,000 students commended as D.A.R.E. training wraps
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh (middle) presides over
the D.A.R.E. program for Prathom 6 children from 10 Pattaya schools.
Warunya Thongrod
More than 1,000 Pattaya students earned commendation for staying away from drugs
as the four-month Drug Abuse Resistance Education course concluded.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh presided over the D.A.R.E. program for Prathom 6
children from 10 Pattaya schools July 3 at city hall. Helping to hand out
commemorative broaches were Pattaya City Council President Sanit Bunmachai and
Pattaya Police Superintendent Col. Suwan Chiewnawinthawat with Lions Club of
Pattaya members, students and teachers attending.
Taught by area police officers, the D.A.R.E. courses aim to give children the
skills needed to recognize and resist the subtle and overt pressures that cause
them to experiment with drugs or become involved in gangs or violent activities.
Avoidance of alcohol and cigarettes are also stressed, in addition to narcotics.
D.A.R.E. Thailand officials hope to train 800,000 youths nationwide. Each course
runs four months and, locally, featured speakers from police stations in
Pattaya, Banglamung, Najomtien and Koh Si Chang. The Lions Club of
Pattaya-Taksin cosponsored the training.
Children from Pattaya School No. 1 proudly show off
their D.A.R.E brooches.
Children show off their card after attending the
D.A.R.E project.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh (left) presents
certificates to students who completed the D.A.R.E project.
Children from all 10 Pattaya schools accept their
D.A.R.E certificates and brooches at Pattaya City Hall.
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