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PCEC members entertained with beautiful voices of Father Ray Foundation children’s choir

Keeping their word

German Club holds Christmas Party at Casa Pascal

PCEC members entertained with beautiful voices of Father Ray Foundation children’s choir

Following the special concert put on by the Father Ray Choir, former PCEC Chairman Richard Smith presented each child with a bag of goodies - as Director Mike has the children introduce themselves to the expats, speaking in English.

Master of Ceremonies Bob Sutterfield welcomed everyone to the regular Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club on December 20 at the Amari’s Henry J. Beans Restaurant, then told everyone that they were in for special treat. He mentioned that after the presentation by Mike Lancaster, director of development with the Father Ray Foundation, everyone would be entertained with the beautiful voices of the children’s choir from the Foundation.
Mike said that his background was in fundraising and marketing for charitable groups in the United Kingdom. Since his retirement about 3 years ago, he has been living in Bangkok. He said he was contacted by someone who knew his background and wanted him to know that the Father Ray Foundation was in need of someone with his experience. He contacted the Father Ray Foundation, agreed to help, and came out of retirement to assist them. This was about 9 months ago. He said he still lives in Bangkok and was initially going home on weekends, but lately it seems he sees less and a less of his house there.

Mike Lancaster, director of development with the Father Ray Foundation, shares with PCEC members the logistics of running the foundation, including feeding over 850 children and young adults, educating them and caring for their special needs.
He said that he wanted to acquaint everyone with who the Foundation is, how it started, what it does, and why it needs assistance. He noted that currently the Foundation is assisting over 850 children and young adults with disabilities in Pattaya.
To introduce everyone with the who and what, he presented an 8 minute video showing how the seed for the Foundation came about when Father Ray Brennan took in a lone child many years ago. Since then, his works continued to grow.
Although Father Ray has passed away, the projects he started continue. Presently, they have 6 projects underway with a vision for more in the future. But, it costs money to continue the operations and even more if they wish to expand.
Mike then briefly described each of their current projects. One is a day care center for children from 2 to 6 years of age whose parents work. The center gives them a safe and healthy environment so they are not left alone on the streets.
Another project is their Drop In Center for street children. The Center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a place where the street kids can come and get a bowl of noodles and have someone to talk to. The staff befriends the kids and does their best to persuade them to get off the streets.
For those that are willing to give up the streets, they operate the Father Ray Children’s Home. At the home they try to give the children a sense of self worth and the hope that they may have a future.
They also have a Children’s Village which offers more of a home style environment for the children. They are in a house with only a few other children in residence. The house has a full time person living with the children so that the residence provides a more normal family feeling for the children.
In addition to children, they also help the disabled who often are not accepted by society. The Father Ray Vocational School is for young adults with disabilities. It is a place where they can get an education and learn a trade so that they can go out in the world and get a job to “earn their own rice.”
Similarly, the Father Ray School for Blind Children also works to educate and to teach a vocation.
Mike concluded his talk by noting that their projects furnish 2,500 nutritious meals a day. Also, to carry out all their projects costs about 120 million baht annually. The Thai Government offers some assistance for education, but it is not anywhere near enough. So, the Foundation has to raise the bulk of funds through donations. Mike said that this is his main job with the Foundation; to work to get the funds they need to continue and perhaps increase their operations. Through their efforts they can provide what is really needed, love, confidence, and a hope for a normal future.
After Mike’s talk, the choir consisting of happy and smiling children filed in. They launched into several well known Christmas songs such as Jingle Bells, Joy to the World, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. After much enthusiastic applause, the Club expressed thanks to the children by giving each a “gift sack” with some goodies to enjoy.
After the children left, the meeting was concluded with Richard Silverberg conducting the always informative Open Forum where everyone has an opportunity to ask and answer questions about living in Thailand and Pattaya in particular.


Keeping their word

The fine young gentlemen from the Thai Austrian Technical College in Sattahip kept their word and returned before the holidays to help KOTO in cleaning the Jomtien Beach area.

Gerry Rasmus
We here at the Pollution Solution Group are very happy to announce that the five students from the Thai Austrian Technical College in Sattahip that took time from their studies in December to assist KOTO in putting up new anti-littering posters, removing the old and staples to protect the trees at Pattaya Beach, all taking around four hours to complete, also kept their word and returned the following week before the holidays to help KOTO in cleaning the Jomtien Beach area.
After 2 hours in the sun, picking up plastic, toxic cigarette ends (butts), bottle caps and other things that can choke, make sick or kill babies, wildlife and contaminate our waterways, they also realized how important it is to educate the unknowing and fine the uncaring and now understand the need for all of the posters.
Umnat from the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion of Pattaya City Hall, shared with me that he is delighted that these young men wanted to join useful activities for the good of society and to reward the kindness of these young men. If they continue to set examples and educate others, they will be recognized by Pattaya City Hall and will receive a certificate for showing their compassion for Thailand and doing something about it, which will improve their chances of a good job when they graduate.
It is students like these that will be tomorrow’s leaders, by setting examples today, and having hands on experience will greatly improve their chances of holding important decision making jobs in the near future.
Many thanks from the Pollution Solution Group and KOTO, one of the keepers of the ocean.


German Club holds Christmas Party at Casa Pascal

Elfi Seitz
Casa Pascal restaurant played host to the Christmas party for Pattaya’s German ladies group.

Monika Podleska (left) hands Christ Child Elfi a present.

Chairman Monika Podleska extended a warm welcome to the many female attendees and kicked off the Dec. 10 party with a poem.
And then a bell sounded, rung not by Santa Claus, but by the “Christ child” who came personally to give gifts to those attending.
The ladies had brought their own small gifts as well. These were numbered and later each guest drew one of the numbers. The Christ child now had the pleasure to distribute the gifts. She had also brought a poem to read to the ladies before departing.
Casa Pascal once again did a wonderful job preparing the a la carte meals and everyone was completely satisfied. A few Christmas carols were even sung.