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The Jesters Children's Fair - What A day!
by Mike Franklin
Here
they come, full speed ahead ... and don’t get in their way because
they’re carrying raw eggs! Just part of the fun at this year’s Jesters
Care for Kids Children’s Fair, this year held at the Diana Garden Lodge
& Driving Range in North Pattaya. Organizers say that this year’s was
the best one yet, and that over 800,000 baht was raised for local charities.
See the full report and pictures on center pages this week.
It was the biggest and best Jesters ‘Care for Kids’
Children’s Fair yet, and the Diana Garden Lodge & Driving Range, North
Pattaya proved to be the perfect location. Sunday 15th September was the big
day, and what a day it was! The Charity Bike ride set off at 8 a.m. while
the many stallholders were setting up, then at 10 a.m. Jesters Charity Drive
chairman, Lewis ‘Woody’ Underwood gave an opening speech before Sopin
Thappajug, executive director of the Diana Group, cut the ribbon to start
the fair.
(L to
R) Ad and Lek Carabao with Lam Morrison broke into an impromptu jam session
that had the crowd screaming for more!
The 70 strong marching band from Pattaya School 8 gave a
spectacular performance that started a very full program of entertainment by
children from local schools, announced by emcees for the day, Andy Francis
and Neil Smith.
 With a
gleam in his eye, Bernie Tuppin tries out the “Rockin Harley”. “Can I
have one of these, too?”
 Woody
is all smiles as another successful Jesters Care for Kids Charity event
comes to a close.
First up were the young children from the Fountain of
Life Children’s Center with some traditional dancing. Nareethip School
then gave a varied performance of ballet, jazz dance and a demonstration of
tae kwon do. Muay Thai boxing followed that, and then a cultural show by the
Satit Udomseuksa Academy. The Peter Faraday magic show was next, followed by
individual singers from Best School. More martial arts from ISS Promotions,
and a very apt finale by the talented singers from the Redemptorist School
for the Blind.
The
Bangkok Jesters made a thundering appearance.
Live music followed until it was time for the one-hour
session of Children’s Games organized by Steve Martin. Then more live
music from versatile Declan to lead up to the raffle draw.
At the
beginning of the fair, Woody generously handed out vouchers to the children
from the Computers for Kids project run by Jeep and Lek.
In all, there were nearly fifty stalls to visit for
games, interesting things to buy, with over a dozen stalls offering a wide
variety of international and Thai food and drinks. All the beer was donated
to Jester Neil’s Charity Beer Stall, that reportedly had a record day.
This was no doubt helped by the ‘Cool Zone’ external misty air-con
operating in the Beer Garden - a welcome retreat given that it was a fine
day, and a very hot one too.
“Mr
Sheen” (right) won Barnie the Biker Bear in the raffle.
The Children’s Raffle stall kept busy all day and
achieved a record sum of just over 100,000 baht thanks to the untiring
efforts of Bernie Tuppin, Ray Byrne, Khun Neera, Neil and staff from the
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, with ‘Scar’, Jon and a few more of the Jesters
out and about to make random sales.
Neil
(left) from the International Department of the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and
his nurse provided free blood pressure checks.
Just prior to the Children’s Raffle Draw at 3 p.m. on
the main stage, the winner of the Fountain of Life painting competition,
eleven year old Mot, was presented with a beautiful bicycle kindly donated
by Pattaya Trader. The winning painting featured as usual on the front of
this year’s “Care for Kids’ t-shirt. The final entries in this
year’s Children’s Painting Competition, and the winning painting can be
seen on our web page at www.care4kids.info, together with a full report
about the Children’s Fair and Bike Ride, lots of photos and all rapidly in
place thanks to Susie our web mistress.
 Hans
Banzinger of Paradise Cafe & Grill fame enjoyed the day with his family.
‘Barnie the Biker’ - Giant Bear featured as the star
prize in the Children’s Raffle, won this year by John Hannon “Mr.
Sheen”. Other winners of the many raffle prizes on offer were: Child’s
Bike - James Campbell; Daewoo VCD/Karaoke/MP3 Player - James Crow, Space II
Dome Tent & Wet Set - Samneang Josef, Winnie the Pooh Pool & Wet Set
- Neil Maniquiz; Junior Snooker Table - Cees Peperkamp, Remote Control Army
Force Super Truck - Ruan Schanzer; Racing Sports Car - Elliot Rowe; Dream
Boat - General Motors; Aiko Fun Learner Computer - Khun Ratanaporn; Aconite
Stereo Radio Cassette Recorder & CD Player - Setsuko; Dump Truck - Emma
Johannson; Kiddies Golf Set - Ann Sitiwong; Casio Keyboard - Allan Pierce;
Lego ‘Creator’ Set - John Langan; Tommy Train Set - Khun Worowan;
Wireless Microphone & Receiver - Jason Kerr; Hatari ‘Power Wind’ Air
Circulator - Khun Ma’am; Samsung Fino 800 Zoom Camera - Mrs. McNally;
Harley Rocking Horse - James Crow; 14" Color TV - Garret Farley; Harry
Potter Book - Gina Levi.
(Above,
L to R) Sopin Thappajug, Woody Underwood, Mike Franklin and Graham MacDonald
cut the ribbon to get the fair underway.
With the raffle draw over it was time for the Tug-of-War
and the familiar show of strength by the two competing teams. For the Cafe
Kronborg it was poetry in motion as their size, bulk and near graceful
technique saw off the Pattaya Panthers two-nil in the’ best of three’ to
become, once again, the winners. Surprisingly Jester Kevin, who set up the
fair over Saturday and Sunday, still had the energy to join the tug and pull
for the Kronborg. Kevin being only average size compared with others in the
team!
 Children
from the Fountain of Life Children’s Center performed traditional Thai
dancing.
Great live music followed to see the day out until 6
p.m., with Rick & Harpic and Pop’s All Stars and, as if that wasn’t
great enough, who should turn up for a half-hour set on stage but Ad and Lek
Carabao with Lam Morrison. Fantastic surprise music, but not before Ad and
Lek had given a lengthy photo-call for the many children and ladies eager to
be photographed with them, my family included.
We
survived! Kim and Jack list slightly to their right - not because of the
empty Heinekens in front of them, more because the saddle soreness from the
Jesters Sponsored Bike Ride hasn’t yet worn off.
It was great ending to a great day in the ideal setting
of the Diana Garden Lodge & Driving Range, thanks to the charitable
gesture by the Diana Group.
 Mr
& Ms Livingston I presume?
The
little one provided a very important service - she translated everything
into Japanese.
All in all the fair was a great success. About 2,000 or
so people turned out, the gate take, Children’s Raffle ticket sales and
donated beer sales all topped previous years. And at the time of going to
press, it looked like the proceeds from both the Fair and Bike Ride would
total around 800,000 baht, which, as Woody said, “is exceptional”.
The
winner of the Fountain of Life painting competition, eleven-year-old Mot was
presented with a beautiful bicycle kindly donated by Pattaya Trader, as
Sister Jemjit (left) and Sister Joan (right) from the Fountain of Life look
on and Lewis “Woody” Underwood makes the announcement.
Just one more big event to go to complete this year’s
Jesters Charity Drive - The Pub Night at Shenanigans this Saturday,
September 21st starting at 6 p.m., and featuring the Grand Raffle and
Auction. An event not to be missed.
The
talented singers from the Redemptorist School for the Blind performed a very
apt finale to the early entertainment.
Finally, a reminder that all proceeds from the Bike Ride,
Children’s Fair and Pub Night go to the Jesters Charity Drive Fund in aid
of the Fountain of Life Children’s Center, the Redemptorist School for the
Blind Naklua, and the Eastern Child Welfare Protection Institute, Huay Pong.
Nareethip
School wowed the audience with a Muay Thai boxing demonstration.
Triplets
Lek, Klang and Yai (Small, Medium and Large) get set to throw a few darts
and try to win a prize.
A
heaving and a hoeing, the Kronborg team gives a mighty pull, and the
tug-o-war trophy is there’s.
Cafe
New Orleans staff not only served plenty of delicious vittles, but looked
good doing it.
Future
recording stars? They gave a good performance at the fair...
The
Horseshoe Point Resort & Country Club provided pony rides for the kids -
one of the busiest places at the fair.
Yes,
I’m going to be a Jester when I grow up.
Little
Sam Franklin flashes her million-dollar smile.
The
marching band from Pattaya School 8 gave a spectacular performance.
Beer Sponsors
Wild Chicken, Country Road III, Tim’s Bar, Brendan Smith, Champion
A-Go-Go, Captain’s Corner, Geoff Evans, Thai Int Law Consultants, Mr Dave,
Phil Dunn, Limo Service, European Safety Concepts, Dave & Sari Nance,
Hoek Van Holland Caf?, Stockholm Inn Bar & Rest, Jimmy Bracken, Sea-Side
Photo, Jomtien, Phoudoi Express Boat, Lollipop Boy and Mark, Nid’s Bar,
Crossroads, Derek Gunn, Shane, The Bowling Green, Bill McVay, Sea Side 2
Restaurant, Mr Dam Taxi, John Earl, Wolfgang & Co, Hill Beach Hotel,
Lion Bar & Sauna, Mark Muehr, Oskar’s Jomtien, P.P.I., Jerry and
Family, Mr Owen Walklet, George Davies, J and M Bar, Mad Jokers, B.E.S.
(Tim), Let’s Elope, Jomtien, Greg’s Kitchen, Gerry, K R Bar, Burapa MC,
Dick, Sky Bar Tattoo, Viking Beachcomber, Tom, Kanja Supermarket, Kanjana
Sidtiwong, Alain D., Harley Bar, Eden Restaurant, Kanjana Sidtiwong, Michael
Gelders, Woaw’s Bar, Richard Jarvis, Jimmy Howard, Buffalo Bar, Doug
Brawley, Malcolm Clare, Pook’s Bar, Camel Bar, Ron Coulson, Coombsy &
Brian, The Girls @ Jasmine 2000, The WhereHouse, Paul Z., Hasenstall, Jerry
Lien, Kyle, Mr Pierre, Spicy Girls, Pez, The Rockers B.G. Intech internet,
Graham Edmunds, The Winchester Club, Stringfellows, Sham Naan, Sally’s
Bar, Yates, Tim Farrell, Thepprasit Roast Duck, The Jungle Bar, Storm,
Moonshine Place, Legless Arms, Diamond Dave, Au CousCous Royal, The Ritz
Bar, Sweet Lou, Pattaya Kart Speedway, The Nervous Wreck, Captain Paul, V2
Harley Specialists, Nice N Eazy, Corperal George, Simple Simon, One Stop
Real Estate, Commissary John, Palmers Bar, The Visa Shop, Roger, The Dogs
Bollocks, The Jolly Roger, Cafe Kronborg, Shamrock Bar, Talk of the Toon,
Papa San, Ray Rogers, Penthouse Hotel, Kennel Bar, Dave Mackie, Dennis
Forrest, Spicy Girls Too, Mike Harper, Allan Parson, Bryan & Omm
Clayton, James Maloney Gert Hansen, Living Dolls, Spot, Ben Pennell, Asylum
2, JJ, Bill Thompson, Winchester A-Go-Go, Ponytail Paul, (Toi), Bill Marsden,
TQ 2, Dave, Dave Richardson, Mad Dogs MC, Philippines, Ozzie, George
Benison, Scandinavia Bar, Danno, Kim Schou, The Horn Bar, Ian, (Basil Fawlty),
Kevin McGuire, The Blues Factory, Amstel, Patcharin Gold, Bill Grant,
Sportsman Bar & Restaurant, Tim Dueck, Admirals Pub, The Haven Hotel,
John Prince and Ann, Paul Baker, Sandra Florist, Mitch Fry, Jason’s Mum
and Dad, The Dollhouse, Francois, Steve Nutall, The Bunker, KFP, John
Prince, Printing Costs, 60’s Bar, Bobby-Joe, Richard, Sportsman’s Inn,
Soi 6, McAllister’s Bar & Grill, Mitchell, Roxy Club, Soi 6, Universal
Enterprises Ltd., Elliot, The Humphreys, Father & Son, Randall Reese,
Keith Spedding, Squiglet (AFL!!!!)
The Charity Bike Ride produces thrills, spills, hills and fills for the charity coffers
One of the features of the Children’s Fair is the
running of the Jesters Charity Bike Ride. This year there were 135 entrants,
ranging from the super-fit members of two very professional Thai Mountain
Bike clubs, to some of the rankest amateurs ever to set forth on two wheels,
with Jack Levy being a typical example.
Dirt
Looney (left) made sure he had plenty of water and electrolytes in his
system before and during the ride, and plenty of other fluids after.
The hard working organizer Kim Fletcher, at the pre-event
briefing, reminded all the entrants that the bike ride was not a race, but was
to be a pleasant jaunt in the countryside. At that juncture, he was drowned out
by the sounds of 50% of the riders chomping at the bit and getting ready for a
sprint to the finish, 50 kilometres hence. The other 50% of the entrants just
began silently praying that they would actually see the finish! Personally I
felt much more at home in the latter group which encompassed some fairly
outstanding hope-to finishers. Unfortunately, we lost one of our number, the
famous ballerina Alicia Tumblova, who fell off her bicycle in the car park and
laddered her tutu before the event was flagged away.
The
Doc! (right) and his “pit crew” Russell Finch, Jan Aamlid and Susie
Ngamsuwan - unfortunately for the Doc his electric bike’s batteries ran
out of juice and he actually had to pedal part of the way.
However, at 8 a.m. precisely, the remaining riders, all
outfitted in very professional looking blue bike racing shirts supplied by
Baltex Industries, began pedalling their collective way from the Diana Driving
Range, heading for the finish, via Pattaya Beach Road and another 47 kays of
mountainous terrain to return to the Diana Driving Range.
 Karen
Walker successfully completed her 10 k ride, keeping that smile all the way
(well, almost all the way).
For those who are into topography, the route was very
remarkable in that it was uphill from Pattaya to around the back of the
Mabrachan Dam, where upon it was another uphill route all the way back to
Pattaya! Well, that’s what it felt like.
Jon
Wilson provided security along the route.
The “non-racing” mountain bike club entrants bolted and
were back in the corral after an hour and a half, but the real action and drama
was back in the pack. The attendant ambulance from the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital
had to be called into action a couple of times, when Alicia Tumblova’s sisters
decided to get into the act on the rough sections of the route. Andrea Zapla was
caught doing a swan dive trying to catch husband Gregor on the rocky road. It
certainly was not “Ladies Day” as yet another of the fair sex managed to do
herself an injury dismounting awkwardly after the finish (that’s why proper
ladies bikes don’t have a bar).
Kim and
Jack look remarkably chipper considering what they are putting themselves
through
The day was hot, and even if the pace was not, the entrants
hungrily devoured several bottles of water, kindly supplied by BT Insurance.
Much thanks to BT and the teams of volunteers who manned the water stops
including Judi MacNamara, Phil Dunne, Steve Fraser, Kurt Farnham, Harpic and
Jake and Ning Fletcher and the brood.
Even
the police escort gets a little thirsty out there on the open road.
Various methods of performance enhancement were used by
several competitors, with flagging down itinerant baht busses being one very
popular option, having an attendant motorcycle “escort” who could drag you
along by the arm being another, while Dr. Iain was again using battery
assistance, only to find he had not charged it properly and the volts ran out at
Siam Country Club and he had to pedal from there.
King of
the Road
There was a shorter course for the kids, but a couple got
lost, unfortunately for them, the organizers found them and their parents. They
were returned to the fold by the official “sweeper” David Foden after
scouring the neighbourhood.
Double
the people-power, double the fun.
Probably one “hero” of the event was Mark Coombes who had
been suffering from the skitters for three days prior to the Sunday, but yet did
not want to let his sponsors down and completed the 50 kays, looking green and
well stoppered with Imodium, but he made it.
(L to
R) Beautiful, Moo and “dangerous” Malcolm Clare sign up the riders at
the registration night before the event at Shenanigans.
Another “hero” was Erik Sorrensen, who walked the course,
starting at 9 p.m. on the Saturday night and finished just after 9 a.m. on the
Fair Sunday morning. On the way he raised a staggering 239,000 baht!
Erik
Sorrensen at the beginning of his walk, 9 p.m. at the Scandi Bar ... and
finally nearing the finish line the next morning.
Of course there were many people who made it all
possible, from Malcolm and Peter Clare, who along with Aum and Moo from
Shenanigans handled the registrations, Wild Bill Freeman who handled the
money, and Jon Wilson, who rode the exercise bike on the back of the pick-up
to lead everyone off, while Robert ‘Scar’ Taylor rode the Harley around
alerting oncoming motorists of the melee of bicycles following. Signs were
the responsibility of Wanchai and Geang from Shenanigans who laid out the
route, Mark Gorda and Russell Finch were the security folk along with the
very willing Tourist Police Volunteers at the intersections. (It is
certainly nice to be the person ushered through the lights, instead of being
the person detained!)
 Phil
Dunn raised 16,000 baht for shaving half his head - unfortunately for Phil,
Neil suggested it be cut in quarters. “Sweeper” David Foden looks on in
amazement.
Again it was a most successful event, which raised many hundreds of
thousands of baht for the Children’s Charity, while at the same time
contributing to the overall fitness of the Pattaya community.
This youngster had no
trouble making the grade.
A
Grand Night at the Opera
Grand Ballroom of the Royal Cliff Grand
Saturday, 28 Sept. 2002, at 19:00 hrs
An Opera Night of the Superlative will be held at the
Grand Ballroom of the Royal Cliff Grand on September 28 at 19:00 hrs,
presented by Opera and Concert Productions Worldwide, UK
Rebecca Bode (Soprano)
Christmas comes early for opera aficionados and classical
music enthusiasts. The reason is a Gala Dinner at the Royal Cliff Grand on
September 28. What has a Gala Dinner to do with the Opera, you might ask?
Well, in this case it has, as an ensemble of world-renowned and
multi-awarded artistes from Opera and Concert Productions Worldwide, UK will
perform live in this very same gala dinner on September 28 at the Grand
Ballroom, Royal Cliff Grand.
Barbara Segal (Soprano)
Dubbed “A Grand Night at the Opera”, the event, which
surely will be a memorable one, is proudly presented by the Royal Cliff
Beach Resort, in association with the Pattaya Mail.
Stefan
Sanchez (Baritone)
Six seasoned artistes: Stefan Sanchez (Baritone), Ewan
Taylor (Baritone), Jon Bode (Baritone), Rebecca Bode (Soprano), Robert
Millner (Tenor), and Barbara Segal (Soprano) will be in the spotlight with
captivating renditions of excerpts from several unforgettable opera
classics.
Robert
Millner (Tenor)
Stefan Sanchez trained as a singer at the Royal Academy
of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and at the
Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid. He has performed in major opera houses
in Europe and the British Embassy in Paris in the presence of HRH the Prince
of Wales. He has played principal roles in numerous musicals on London’s
West End and on tour in “Call Me Madam”, “Oklahoma”, “Count of
Luxembourg”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, and
Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella”.
Ewan Taylor
(Baritone)
Barbara Segal was born in Manchester, England where she
studied with the late Dame Isobel Baillie and subsequently at the Teatro La
Scala, Milan with Maestro Cesare Alfieri. She made her operatic debut as
Musetta in “La Boheme” at the Santa Margherita Ligure Opera Festival - a
role she subsequently performed widely throughout Europe. She has appeared
in numerous operatic plays and outstanding individual performances around
the world including a charity gala in Bangkok to mark the 50th Anniversary
of the reign of His Majesty the King of Thailand.
Jon Bode
(Baritone)
Ewan Taylor, Robert Millner, Jon and Rebecca Bode
continually bask in sterling careers, appearing separately in highly
acclaimed operas and musicals. Robert was co-founder, writer and performer
of several Classical Music Comedies for BBC2 and Radio 4. These were
showcased at Germany’s Moers Festival where he won the top award for
International Comedy as well as at the Edinburgh Festival.
“A Grand Night at the Opera” is being geared up as
Royal Cliff Beach Resort’s encore to a well-received opera gala dinner by
the Opera Company of Korea last March. This last Opera Night is still
manifested in the memory of the people who have joined it. The same people
asked to organize another fantastic event like this again. As usual, the
Royal Cliff Beach Resort will do its utmost to make this event, like all the
others before it, another great success. A perfect 4-course Gourmet Dinner
will be served to the valued guests and as usual the decoration and set-up
will be worthwhile for the international parquet.
It will be just one of the many successfully hosted world-class gala
dinners and cultural performances by the Royal Cliff Beach Resort.
Baht 1,650++ per person (includes a four-course dinner)
Dress code: Lounge Suit/Black Tie
For reservations, please call 0-3825-0421 or fax 0-3825-0511/3
Email: [email protected] Website: www.royalcliff.com
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