Chonburi MP, Poramet
Ngampichet presents a trophy to Thaweesak Raksa from Mathayom 3 student from
Pattaya School No. 9, the under-15 Thai traditional dancing contest winner.
Manoon Makpol and
Sunturak Sangdokmai
Teens and adults competed for cash and recognition at the
third Pattaya country singing and dancing competition.
The July 13 contest opposite the Grand Sole hotel on
Second Road grouped contestants into an under-age 15 category and one for
adults.
The singing contest for the general public winner was
Wanpen Boonrattavichai who received 6,000 baht and a trophy. First runner-up
was Samrerng Thongnak who received 5,000 baht and a trophy, and second
runner-up was Kwanjinda Duantaku, who received 4,000 baht and a trophy.
The under-15 Thai traditional dancing contest winner was
Thaweesak Raksa, a Mathayom 3 student from Pattaya School No. 9 who received
6,000 baht and a trophy. First runner-up was Phavikorn Chuangpanya from
Pattaya school No. 8 who received 5,000 baht and a trophy. The public choice
prize went to Surat Thongnak who received 5,000 baht and a trophy.
Chonburi MP, Poramet
Ngampichet presents a trophy to first runner-up Phavikorn Chuangpanya from
Pattaya School No. 8.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
presents the first prize trophy to singing contest winner Wanpen
Boonrattavichai.
Second runner-up Kwanjinda
Duantaku.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome takes
a group photo with the participants.
Chai yo! It’s a great night at
the contest.
Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2012, sponsored by Glencore International and Canadian Jackalope Open
Lewis Underwood
The 14th Annual Canadian Jackalope Open is next Friday on
August 3rd at the Khao Kheow Country Club with a Stableford format and
shotgun start at 12 noon. This charity tournament is our major fund-raiser
for the Camillian kids living with HIV and disabilities. If you would like
to sign up for this event, please contact them ASAP at Jackalope.Open@
gmail.com. For more information, please see registration form in the Sports
Section of this issue.
Fey, 9 years old.
Since 2008, the Canadian Jackalope Open has been a
Diamond Sponsor, or 400,000 baht donor, for the Jesters Care for Kids
Charity Drive. They joined forces with us then and requested that all funds
raised from their tournament would go to the kids at the Camillian’s Child
Care Center in Rayong and the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang.
Given that we were also staunch supporters of the
Camillians, we not only whole heartedly agreed to their terms, but also
vowed to sweeten the pot from our side too. And, as a result, over the last
4 years, we have collectively provided 2,770,000 baht to the kids at their
projects.
In 2008, when we asked Father Giovanni where our joint
donation might be best utilized, he suggested we cover the 24/7 care-giving,
physical therapy and anti-retroviral medication (ARV) for two children
living with HIV and disabilities.
Tewid, 16 years old.
One of the children is a girl, Fey, who was 4 years old
when she came to the Center. She was born HIV-positive and abandoned by her
parents after birth in a hospital in Nong Khai. She is blind and mentally
impaired, most likely from her untreated HIV infection.
Initially, she could not stand or crawl and was prone to
frequent emotional outbursts. After starting the administration of ARV’s, in
conjunction with physical therapy and loving care, her tantrums started to
subside, and she was able to stand and walk with assistance. Today, she is 9
years old, able to walk on her own and her demeanor had is significantly
more sunny.
The other child, Tewid is a boy, who is 16 years old now.
He was also born HIV-positive and due to late administration of ARV’s had
become partially paralyzed, and virtually comatose. He is also thought to be
autistic.
Fah Sai, 4 years old.
Today, Tewid enjoys listening to music, watching TV and
spending time with other resident children. He is often found smiling,
recognizes his care givers and, able to sit up on his own. His mother, who
is deaf from her own HIV infection, also stays and cares for him at the
Center.
In late 2008, both of these children were transferred
from the Camillian Child Center in Rayong to the Camillian Home in Lat
Krabang near Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is where disabled children who have
their HIV status stabilized take up residence. Here there are professionally
trained specialists who are able to help the kids learn to live with their
disabilities.
Faisal Malik is coordinator on site and is assisted by
Kannika Tumma, who is in charge of PR and their outreach program. The latter
entails making home visits to the disabled in the community.
Presently there are 22 resident children at the Home, 14
of those are orphaned and 12 are HIV positive. There are also 30 regular day
visitors, who come for basic education and physical therapy. Most of the
kids in question are afflicted by physical disabilities, cerebral palsy,
blindness, autism, Down’s syndrome and/or learning impairment. There are
also 34 dedicated staff members at the center, who together work 8-hour
shifts around the clock, every day of the year.
In addition, Fah Sai, the 4-year old abandoned girl with
cerebral palsy, who we recently featured in the July 6th edition of the
Pattaya Mail, is now the 3rd child under our umbrella at the Camillian Home.
Besides the 24/7 care for the above 3 kids, every year,
the Canadian Jackalope and Jesters take the 70-plus Camillian kids from the
Rayong projects to Big C for Christmas shopping and in the spring on an
excursion of their choice. Last April, we went with them to Dream World, a
sensational amusement park in Bangkok.
If you would like to learn more about these kids, please
visit the Camillians’ website at www.camillianhomelatkra bang.org .
If you would like to learn more about the Canadian
Jackalope, please visit them at http://jackalopeopen. awardspace.com/.
And, for us go to www.care 4kids.info or www.facebook
.com/jesterscare.forkids.
Please remember that the Jesters’ main events in Pattaya
are coming up fast: The Children’s Fair, Sunday, September 9th and Gala
Party Night Saturday, September 22nd.
