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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

PILC elects new president for the year 2003

Chinese acrobats thrill crowds to celebrate Chinese New Year

Chonburi Probation Center benefits from Latin Dance Night

PSC donates funds to Mercy Ministries

PILC elects new president for the year 2003

Elfi Seitz

Every year the Pattaya International Lady’s Club (PILC) elects a new president and a new board of directors. Traditionally the elections are held at the Amari Orchid Resort.

Wendy Tweedie (left) presents a bouquet of flowers to the outgoing president Laurence Fatus.

This year, on February 4th, the presidency fell to an American woman, Elisabeth Pierce, who has been living in Pattaya for 2 years. Elisabeth has one daughter - not even a year old yet. Elisabeth’s husband works for Ford.

The new vice-president comes from Australia. Yve Kernick, whose husband works with BHP Steel, is a mother of three sons and one daughter and has lived in Pattaya for nearly a year.

Here they are: the 2003 PILC committee.

After the outgoing board members delivered their annual reports, Laurence Fatus, the outgoing president received a bouquet of flowers for her hard work during the past year for the club.

In her speech, she thanked all PILC members and the members of Pattaya’s society for their support that she received during her year as president.

The new president, Elisabeth Pierce gave a short, but effective speech. She promised to do her utmost for the PILC and will continue her predecessors good work and make a few changes.

Now members of PILC who don’t book in time for the monthly luncheon must pay the same amount of money as guests and won’t get the members’ discount. Nameplates are now being allowed to be taken home, but a 50 baht fine has to be paid, in case the members forget to bring it to the next lunch meeting.

After the annual general meeting was finished, non-members and guests were allowed to come in and join the lunch.

The new committee of PILC is as follows: Elisabeth Pierce, president, Yve Kernick, vice-president, Judy Hoppe secretary, Jan Kershaw, treasurer, Kathleen Petras, vice-treasurer, Debbie Smart, hospitality, Pauline Morrison, membership, Arlette Cykman, special events, Judy Clausen, newsletter editor, Sheri Ferguson, newsletter co-editor, Wendy Tweedie, newsletter assistant editor, Sandy Langford, activities, Gini Charuvastra, activities co-chair.


Chinese acrobats thrill crowds to celebrate Chinese New Year

Suchada Tupchai

To mark the celebration of Chinese New Year, a group of professional gymnasts from China gathered at the Pattaya Bazaar on North Pattaya Road and thrilled the crowd with their skillful and talented performances.

You may have seen 4, 5, maybe even 6 riding a motorcycle around town, but 13? Granted, this is a bicycle and not a motorcycle, but we strongly urge the public not to try this at home, or on any of the local streets.

The Tsi Zui gymnastic group from China has been performing in several countries and each time the audience was left with stunning memories. The same held true here in Pattaya, as many viewers expressed how very honored and lucky they were to welcome the Tsi Zui group to present their set of exciting shows.

Chanai Saengthongsuk, a well-known Thai magician arranged the two-hour thrill-packed performances for Pattaya City.

Highlights were bicycle riding carrying 13 riders (don’t get any ideas, local motorcyclists...), hoops throwing, body jigsaw, dish whirling, and many more nimble and surprising acrobatics.

Chinese herbs were also on sale. The proceeds will be donated to charitable organizations for public assistance.


Chonburi Probation Center benefits from Latin Dance Night

Association of Filipinos in Thailand (AFT - ERC) funds check-ups

The Association of Filipinos in Thailand (AFT - ERC) held a Latin Dance Charity event at the Montien Hotel with the funds being used to purchase Fathers’ Day discounted “check-up” coupons at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.

“Gaw Gai, Kaw Kai, Baw Bamai, Paw Phung ...” Good, now can you spell Mississippi with only one “i” (eye)?

The AFT-ERC decided that the recipients should be the children and staff from the Chonburi Probation Center, feeling that this was an opportunity for the association to benefit a deserving group.

The Center warmly welcomed the donation by the AFT-ERC and arrangements were made through the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital’s Neil Maniquiz of the International Department for the children and staff to come to the hospital in groups of ten for five consecutive days.

The check-ups went smoothly and the Probation Center is looking forward to good health for the next 12 months!


PSC donates funds to Mercy Ministries

For new Emergency Shelter & Day Care Center

When the Pattaya Sports Club Executive Committee met on Sunday, February 2nd, Bernie Tuppin, PSC charity chairman, presented the committee with a letter from Pastor Fred Doell of the Mercy Ministries, thanking the PSC for the food, clothes, bicycles, and scholarships that have been provided to them in the last few months.

PSC was also informed that Mercy Ministries recently negotiated the lease of a property off Thepprasit Road. The building is to be used as an emergency shelter and children’s day care center. Their immediate concern is to be able to operate the emergency shelter, followed by the day care center, as more and more funds become available to them.

Bernie has visited this site on many occasions and recently delivered a swing set made available by PSC members (Tim McMaster, ChevronTexaco, delivered by Ron Colsten).

While the buildings are substantial, they have been neglected for many years and are sadly in need of repair and, of course, furnishing and fittings are non-existent. More importantly, the water supply is most unreliable and on many days, water is unavailable.

The group and their volunteer helpers are doing a marvelous job but are limited by lack of funds for materials. The Pattaya Sports Club Executive Committee unanimously voted to meet the most urgent needs laid out by Pastor Doell. They will provide 88 insect screens for the two main buildings, and pumps and tanks to assemble an emergency water supply (this includes a water dispenser in the main building) so that safe and constant water supply can be made available for the children.

Although Pastor Doell has only requested financial assistance for the bare essentials, the Pattaya Sports Club is fully aware that the buildings will require much more work in order to provide children with the level of care that Mercy Ministries sees fit. More paint and insect screens will be needed, as well as linoleum flooring (which is cheaper than tile). They will also eventually require a heavy duty washing machine, large refrigerator, tables, chairs, etc. If you would like to provide any assistance or donations for this Emergency Shelter & Day Care Center, please contact Bernie Tuppin at the Pattaya Sports Club (038) 361-167 or (038) 710-528, or Pastor Fred Doell at Mercy Ministries at 038-300-132 or (01) 629-7867. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

The Pattaya Sports Club, especially its charity chairman, Bernie, is enthusiastic about the work that Mercy Ministries does in our local community, and will therefore continue to support them in whatever way they can.