This year GE Aircraft Engines volunteered to spearhead
the annual GE Elfun Project. The project was to renovate the 40-year-old
school building at the Eastern Child Welfare Protection Institution in
Rayong Province where there are approximately 300 children.
Participating
in the handling over ceremony of the school renovation project on March 20
in Rayong were (left to right & front to back): Wanlop Ploytabtim -
director general, Department of Social Development and Welfare, Stuart Dean
- president, GE Southeast Asia, Russell Mobley - managing director, MRAS,
and Dwight Thomas - managing director, GE Elano Asia.
This institute provides welfare assistant and protection
for both boys and girls aged between 7-18 years old who are orphaned,
neglected, lost, vagrant, destitute, have behavioral problems or are in need
of care. This school provides formal education at the primary level as well
as vocational training before releasing the children to the outside world.
The renovation took 3 months to complete and cost about
$16,000, with GE Elfun Volunteers spending approximately 1,640 labor hours
during the weekends. GE Elfun Volunteers contributed their weekends with the
belief that they would see big smiles from the children at the institute on
getting a better school environment. No one was disappointed.
The handling over ceremony of the building was organized
on March 20. There were over a hundred GE Elfun Volunteers from every GE
business in Thailand represented, as well as GE regional and in country
business leaders.
In addition to providing the students with a better place
to study, Environment Protection is also part of the theme for this event.
Both senior staff and other GE Volunteers planted over 30 trees in the
school area to help protect the environment.
GE Elfun also provided items for their daily living;
i.e., socks, slippers, towels, blankets, stationeries, used items, used
books and magazines that were donated and consolidated by GE Elfun members
from all business units of GE in Thailand.
GE Elano Asia & Middle River Aircraft Systems,
representing GE Aircraft Engines, every year leads the Cross Businesses
Elfun Project in Thailand. GE Elfun Thailand Chapter consists of hundreds of
GE Elfun volunteers from all existing GE businesses in Thailand. Every year
there is at least one big project that all members do together, and with
each GE business unit taking turns as the lead organizer of the project.
This year GE Aircraft Engines volunteered to spearhead the annual Elfun
Project. GE Elano Asia and MRAS worked in partnership from the beginning to
the end, with support from all the other GE businesses.
GE has a very strong presence in Rayong province where
there are 6 GE facilities located in this area, 2 from GE Aircraft Engines,
2 from GE Advance Materials, 1 from GE Energy and another one from GE
Infrastructure.
A lot of activities between GE Elfun Volunteers and the children were
organized during the day, concluding with lunch in the canteen where
volunteers had a chance to spend time with the children. The event ended
with the big smiles from all, reminding us why we do Elfun volunteer work.
Upon
their arrival, GM Anil Singh and LCB1 staff greeted them with welcome drinks
and snacks, and gave them some brief information about the terminal.
By
now, surely hungry from all the fun they were having, LCB1 staff prepared a
sumptuous lunch in the canteen, which was followed by more activities before
the trip back to the Fountain of Life. Each was given a small gift to
remember their experience by.
The
kids sang a thank you song to LCB1 staff after enjoying a wonderful day in a
working environment. It was very gratifying for LCB1 staff to be able to
give time, effort, and attention to these economically challenged children
from the Fountain of Life.
Children
showing skills of sportsmanship.