PSC funds new technology
Tony
shakes hands with Pracha Taerat, former Chonburi governor and now the
Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior.
William Macey
It takes an inventive mind to think of new ideas to help
and educate handicapped children, and Kak of the Special Education Centre in
Chonburi has achieved just that. There are approximately 1500 children
registered with SEC who suffer from, amongst other things, autism, downs
syndrome and cerebral palsy. To help the children there are a number of
therapies that have been adopted by the centre and these include senses
stimulation, hippotherapy, physical therapy, and more.
The Adventure Room, funded by Pattaya Sports Club, is a
new project, devised by Kak, whereby it gives the opportunity for children
to experience every day activities in a controlled environment. The
Adventure Room imitates real situations such as a market, beach, waterfalls,
jungle and, of course, a temple and each station is supported by appropriate
background sounds played through an audio system.
This will, very often, be the first time that many of the
children will experience these sensations and offers a new therapy to help
children realise a world that is so different from their normal existence
and helps them acquire some knowledge for their future in society. All the
guests were anxious to see for themselves, the Adventure Room and, when we
had, we were not disappointed. A brilliant innovation.
The presentation was attended by officials from Pattaya
Sports Club, the Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior, Korean
Embassy and Chonburi City Hall. Kak is a remarkable lady and she is
convinced the Adventure Room will be very successful in helping handicapped
children and will, eventually, be adopted by other centres throughout
Thailand. Pattaya Sports Club wish her good luck and a Very Happy New Year.
Tony and
William present a donation from the Pattaya Sports Club to Kak, who runs the
centre.
Tony and
William receive a gift from Pracha Taerat.
The
waterfall in the Adventure Room.
Staff
and visitors gather round for a commemorative photo.
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“I would like to buy
a big and a small peanut”
For
physically handicapped and mentally disabled people, riding horses and
ponies has become their first step into the outside world.
William Macey
Sandra said, “I would like to buy a big and a small
peanut.” This is not normally the sort of request that we, Pattaya Sports
Club, receives when we are asked to help handicapped children. Further
investigation was necessary. To add to the confusion we were asked for some
Tipperary’s, Zilcos and other items which did not help to clarify the
situation.
Benefits include improvements in balance, coordination, muscle tone,
concentration and behaviour.
Sandra Cooper runs Able The Disabled at Horseshoe Point,
for children with a number of disabilities, among them being cerebral palsy,
down’s syndrome, autism, muscle diseases and many with learning
difficulties.
For thousands of physically handicapped and mentally
disabled people, riding horses and ponies has become their first step away
from the protective shelter of home, or special school, to the outside
world. Many children benefit from riding, some for the therapy it gives,
others by learning to ride.
The
benefits are enormous and wide ranging.
The benefits are enormous and wide ranging. They include
improvements in balance, coordination, muscle tone, concentration and
behaviour as well as providing the rider with a feeling of independence.
Specialised equipment is needed and Pattaya Sports Club was only too happy
to provide the funds to buy this equipment and to help Sandra continue her
work.
The Greeks wrote about Hippotheraphy in the 5th century
as a way of re-habilitating wounded soldiers. Fortunately that situation
does not occur in Pattaya, but Riding For The Disabled has adapted the
concept to apply to handicapped children, and is now in evidence in many
countries.
Able The Disabled relies on volunteers for its operation
and funding and there is a constant need for motivated, cheerful and
reliable people to help. If this appeals to you, contact Sandra on
0868483684 and, you to, can discover what a big peanut does.
Sandra
said, “I would like to buy a big and a small peanut.”
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Hand to Hand celebrates Children’s Day
All
the children and helpers at the Hand to Hand centre in Pattaya.
The children at the Hand to Hand Center in Pattaya
had a fantastic children’s day thanks to plenty of food, games and
presents.
The Brotherhood, a group of bikers, generously
provided lunch and the children proceeded to munch their way through an
amazing 150 hot dogs!
Fab
face! One of the youngsters enjoys the face painting.
Thanks to the Brotherhood there were also presents
for everyone including bicycles, clothing and toys. Games included an
egg and spoon race and musical plates, while the face painting was a big
hit with some colorful faces making the day even brighter.
The Hand to Hand Center provides care for
underprivileged children. Set up by Margaret Grainger, it offers two
types of community service: one involves visiting prisoners and
supplying them with food, the other is a preschool by day and an
activities/drop in center in the afternoons and evenings.
Children come mainly from the Thepprasit area and
from low-cost housing around Duck Square in Pattaya.
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Giving a hand to Pattaya’s poorest
Teacher Margaret joins with the fun at the Hand to Hand center.
Kind-hearted students from the International School
Eastern Seaboard (ISE) have helped provide badly-needed supplies at a
center for underprivileged children.
ISE’s High School Student Council visited the Hand to
Hand center in Pattaya to hand over a check for an impressive 80,000
baht. The students raised the money following a walkathon.
They visited the center on November 29 to present the
donation to the Hand to Hand Ministry in South Pattaya.
The Hand To Hand organization was set-up by ISE’s own
Margaret Grainger. It offers two types of community service: one
involves visiting prisoners and supplying them with food, and also
helping children that are staying in the prisons with their mothers by
donating milk and clothes.
The second service is in the heart of the community;
the center is a preschool by day and an activities/drop in center in the
afternoons and evenings. Children come mainly from the Thepprasit area
and from low-cost housing around Duck Square. The High School students
were proud to support such a worthy cause, and give back something to
the community.
During the visit the student council members sang
songs and helped create Christmas parcels for the children.
The donation will be used to buy much-needed
supplies, toys, books and help in the maintenance of the center.
Since opening, news of the center and the good work
carried out by Margaret has spread and more and more underprivileged
children are coming to the center to learn, play, and have a safe space
to be a part of.
The center is always in need of children’s clothing
and toys, so if you would like to make a difference and donate
something, please bring your goods to the main office of ISE and they
will be delivered to Margaret.
ISE is located inside Burapha Golf Club. For more on
the school, visit www.ise.ac.th.
Margaret Grainger receives an 80,000 baht donation
to the Hand to Hand center from ISE students.
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