The Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive has grown
over the past six years, to a level hardly dreamed of in its early days.
Largely due to improved levels of organization through an executive
committee combining the experience and talents of member Jesters, together
with co-opted volunteers bringing a variety of professional skills to the
table and much time, given freely.
Helping
the children is what this is all about.
Jesters Motorcycle Club (MC) Thailand President Lewis
‘Woody’ Underwood chairs and co-ordinates the committee during a
campaign that begins at the planning stage in February and increases in
momentum right up to the main Charity Drive events in September.
The Children’s Fair on Sunday September 14, this year
returning to the Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range, and followed six
days later by the Pub Night at Shenanigans on Saturday 20th September.
Biffo
the giant bear will oversee the Children’s Fair Raffle Draw on stage at
3.30 p.m. on Sunday September 14.
Financial support for the Charity Drive is secured in a
number of ways. Top of the list is Corporate Sponsorship organized by JCD
President Graham MacDonald, with Platinum being the highest and most
prestigious sponsorship level at 100,000 baht. This category in 2003 has
grown, so far, to a record eleven Platinum sponsors who provide a solid
foundation for the drive to build on.
The committee is therefore grateful to Baltex Industries,
Foster Wheeler, Kvaerner E & C, MBMG International, Nirvana Resort (Koh
Chang), Pattaya Mail, Sailor Inn, Shenanigans, Southeast Asia Control
and Automation Systems, Rieckermann Thai Engineering and Standard Chartered
Bank.
As
a result of the fair, the Redemptorist School for the Blind, Naklua, will
receive new equipment and improved facilities.
The Gold, Silver and Bronze categories have also
attracted more sponsors this year and, with five weeks still to go, the list
is by no means complete. A list of all sponsors will be published in Pattaya
Mail as we approach the September event dates so as to include as final
a list as possible.
Add to that the Jesters ‘Pledge for Kids’ campaign
organized by PMCI that allows corporate and individual donors to contribute
over a one-year period without having to make a one-off donation. This
method has been successful by raising one million baht ‘pledged’ within
the first year of operation.
We
can but hope that Ad and Lek Carabao, with Laem Morrison, might call in for
an impromptu set at the end of the day as they did last year - and was that
worth waiting for! Many children and ladies had their photos taken with the
stars to prove it (my wife included)!
The other key factor that underpins the Charity Drive is
the unqualified support from the ‘Care for Kids’ promotional partners.
The Diana Group, by providing the facility of the Diana Garden Resort &
Driving Range at which to stage the Children’s Fair for the second year
helped by great support from Khun Sopin and the Diana Group Management.
The
Children’s Fair is this year returning to the Diana Garden Resort &
Driving Range on Sunday September 14.
Visitors from out of town are offered a special one or
two night package to stay at the luxurious Garden Resort - details in Pattaya
Mail.
Pattaya Mail, by providing unlimited media support
through Pattaya Mail and Pattaya Blatt press publications, and
the facility of weekly airtime on Pattaya Mail Television News from
May through to September, thanks to Peter Malhotra, Dan Dorothy and Brendan
Richards. Pattaya Mail studio facilities assist too with the
production of display material and this year’s bigger issue of the
Children’s Fair Souvenir Program.
Christoph Balzli at Baltex Industries, by donating the
stylish ‘Biker’ shirts for the Charity Bike Ride free of charge and
subsidizing the production of the 2003 ‘Care for Kids’ T-Shirt. And the
local establishments that graciously sell the event t-shirts free of
commission, such as Viking Beachcomber, Shenanigans and Tahitian Queen, also
help to promote the Charity Drive.
Lastly, and by no means least, Shenanigans and Landlord
Kim Fletcher, for organizing the Charity Bike Ride, sponsored again by BT
Insurance and cared for by the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Ambulance Unit, and
for providing the luxury and comfort of Shenanigans Pub, and the services of
Shenanigans friendly staff, to host the Jesters Pub Night.
The ‘Care for Kids’ sponsors and promotional partners
have been acknowledged, so what more is there to tell. It has to be the
fund-raising activities that are the basis of the Children’s Fair and Pub
Night.
At the Children’s Fair there is income from the many
stalls that have increased this year from forty stalls to sixty and with
lots of additional shade added for fairgoers’ comfort. There is the
Jesters beer tent, with all of the beer donated and all proceeds adding to
the fund, sited next to a Children’s Play Center that can take care of the
kids whilst parents relax with a cold drink in the air-cooled beer garden.
Pony rides, organized games and so much else for the children to enjoy.
The Children’s Raffle was big in 2002, raising just
over 100,000 baht. This year it is something else, with many more valuable
prizes including a Sony Play Station II from the Jesters and the bulk of the
prizes sponsored by Pattaya Sports Club. Lego Denmark has given some high
value promotional boxes, each containing 2000 pieces. Biffo the giant bear
sponsored by Pattaya Trader, won the ‘auditions’ recently held at
Shenanigans, and Biffo will oversee the Children’s Fair Raffle Draw on
stage at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday September 14.
The stage entertainment will be exciting and the sound
quality awesome with live bands playing throughout the day. We can but hope
that Ad and Lek Carabao, with Laem Morrison, might call in for an impromptu
set at the end of the day as they did last year - and was that worth waiting
for! Many children and ladies had their photos taken with the stars to prove
it (my wife included)!
At the Pub Night, the two big fundraisers are the Grand
Raffle and the Charity Auction. Tickets for the Grand Raffle are on sale
anytime now at the same price of 50 baht each or a book of twelve for 500
baht. A phenomenal list of prizes including airline tickets to Sydney,
Singapore, Phuket, Samui and Hong Kong; restaurant vouchers to the best
places in town and many other attractive prizes.
The Charity Auction will again be carried out by our
professional Canadian auctioneer Eddie Henheffer and be an entertainment
highlight of the evening. It will include many interesting and valuable
‘Lots’. David Beckham signed footballs and a signed Man U shirt,
definitely a collector’s item now. Some amazing memorabilia and other
items that are unusual and unique to say the least. The evening will have a
full program of entertainment with guest MCs Andy Francis, Paul Jackson and
Neil Smith. The best of Shenanigans live music to cap the evening and
winding up the fund raising part of the 2003 Jesters ‘Care for Kids’
Charity Drive.
However, the other important aspect of the Charity Drive,
and the reason for its being, is the benefit given to the receiving
charities and the care for the children.
At the Fountain of Life, another forty-eight scholarships
to add to the fifty-four already funded this year for qualifying kids to go
to government schools. More support too, for the fast expanding Dental Care
program organized by PILC volunteer Diane Connelly, and the continuing
financial support to help the administration and running of the Fountain of
Life Center.
At the Redemptorist School for the Blind, Naklua, new
equipment and improved facilities and the specific Platinum sponsorship
donation of 100,000 baht from Standard Chartered Bank that will buy new
musical instruments for the school’s band and choir that will perform at
the Children’s Fair.
Lastly, at the Eastern Child Welfare Protection
Institute, Huay Pong, the continuing renovation work there, with a
significant part of the school re-building work due to be completed by the
end of this month.
Support the Jesters 2003 Children’s Fair and Pub Night
and help us to ‘Care for the Kids’ more than ever before.
Sopin
Thappajug, associate judge at the Chonburi Juvenile and Family Court,
presents a scholarship to one of the young scholars.
The
YWCA, Pattaya Sports Club, Rotary Clubs of Taksin Pattaya, Jomtien Pattaya,
the Association of Filipinos in Thailand-Eastern Region Chapter and the Sikh
Community, presented scholarships to children in the Pattaya and Banglamung
region during a ceremony last Thursday morning at Banglamung School.
I’m
over here - catch me if you can.
The
pink team had many cheerleaders.
Ancient
Muay Thai was a highlight of the festivities.