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It’s Lucky 13 for the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive

Raimon Land delivers New Year cheer to children at Sanuk Community Centre in Pattaya

It’s Lucky 13 for the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive

Lewis Underwood
Having just completed our first 12-year cycle of charity drives benefiting underprivileged kids, the organizing committee is now focused on getting the campaign started for Year #13 in earnest. As we still have monthly commitments to some of our projects, such as Ban Jing Jai and their 65 orphans, we would like to thank those who have already responded by submitting their donations this New Year. If you have not received our latest letter yet, please see our website at www.care4kids.info.

Christmas Party at Camillian Home in Lat Krabang for kids living with disabilities.
In the meantime, we continue to distribute funds from the 7.1 million baht raised last year, which we will detail in our new brochure coming out shortly. Our latest project being funded by your 2009 donations is the construction of a new home for disabled boys in Khao Baisri near Sattahip. We have helped this school in the past and once again are pleased to allow Principal Boonchu to continue her selfless work with these special children more effectively.
This project, which is expected to be finished at the end of February, is a joint venture with the Herrod Foundation, Mike Koerner, Club Nevada and Lolita’s Pattaya.
Otherwise, we would like to share how we spent our holiday season with the very children you are helping through our charity drive.

Christmas Day carol-singing at School for the Blind.
Besides the gala Christmas affairs held at the Fountain of Life Center and Kate’s Project, which have already been wrote up here, there were also another two events that though more low-keyed, were just as significant.
The first was on Christmas Eve when we caravanned along with Father Giovanni to the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang for children living with disabilities. Here the kids, both residents and daytime visitors, entertained us with seasonal song and play.
Father Giovanni, under the guise of Father Christmas, presided over the delightful celebration and gift-giving. Besides the wonderful interaction we had with the kids, the function was highlighted with the presentation to two children and budding musicians, a boy, Rad, and a girl, Pleng, with an electric guitar and keyboards, respectively.
By the way, both of these kids are also blind, which is believed to have been brought on by a virus associated with HIV. Presently, they are learning Braille at the center and by demonstration showed us that they were quite adept already.

Bernie with kids who will eventually benefit from construction of Khao Baisri Home for Disabled Boys.
Additionally, we, along with the Canadian Jackalope Open, are again sponsoring two kids, Fay and Tavid, who have recently been transferred from the Rayong center to Lat Krabang. We will feature them in a future write up.
The other event was on Christmas Day at the School for the Blind, where we simply sat with Aurora and enjoyed listening to the kids sing Christmas carols. We also took advantage of this opportunity to present them with 18,000 baht to purchase footballs made in Germany for blind athletes. These specially constructed balls have beads inside them so that they can be detected and located by sound.
Historically, the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive came into existence to assist underprivileged kids through providing safe environment and educational opportunities. However, since 2002, when we first got involved with the School for the Blind, we also started helping needy kids living with disabilities. And we now help many of these special kids by providing them with the requisite educational techniques and care.
This past year we have particularly noticed a trend of getting more involved with these special kids. The following is a list of some of the projects we are currently concerned with in this category.
* Pattaya School for the Blind in Naklua
* Sunganseuksa Phiset 12 in Ban Bueng for disabled kids
* Camillian Social Center for Kids living with HIV/AIDS and disabilities
* Khao Baisri Center for Disabled Boys
* Chonburi Handicap Project catering to disabled kids with more user-friendly living conditions; in conjunction with Women on a Mission
* Nong Urn living with incurable liver condition
If you too would like to get involved in helping both the disadvantaged and disabled kids, please visit our website. Our aim is to help these kids have a happy New Year too!


Raimon Land delivers New Year cheer to children at Sanuk Community Centre in Pattaya

The Raimon Land team headed by Ms Kwanrudee Maneewongwatthana (top left), deputy vice president communications held a New Year party for children at the Sanuk Community Centre. The Centre, located at Raimon Land’s Northpoint development in Pattaya, is used by the children of the company’s construction team.

Thailand’s leading property developer Raimon Land held a New Year party for children at the Sanuk Community Centre, operated by the Melissa Cosgrove Children’s Foundation (MCCF), located at its Northpoint development in North Pattaya.
“Raimon Land puts great emphasis on elevating the welfare and quality of life of children, as they are the future of the nation. The company always sees the importance of lending its continuous support to CSR activities that provide a positive contribution to the country,” said Raimon Land Deputy Vice President Communications Kwanrudee Maneewongwatthana.
At the Centre, children are offered Thai and English lessons as well as training in basic hygiene, health and safety. Founded in 2003, the Melissa Cosgrove Children’s Foundation is a non-charitable, not-for-profit organization working to help disadvantaged children throughout Asia.