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The Jesters 10th Anniversary Children’s Fair – WOW!
After cutting the
ribbon Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn, chief guest of honor,
joined the organizing committee in the photo session (l-r) Tony
Malhotra, Lewis ‘Woody’ Underwood, Poodle Pete, Mike Franklin, Peter
Malhotra, Graham Macdonald, and Sopin Thappajug.
Also seen at the
fair is Chanyuth Hengtrakul (4th
from left) accompanied by (l-r) Tony Malhotra, Apichart and Komkrit
Prasitnarits, Sopin Thappajug, Mayor Niran with his son Napat
Wattanasartsathorn and Peter Malhotra.
Mike Franklin
WOW!
What an amazing Jesters 10th Anniversary Children’s
Fair & Family Day it was! The Fair report headline in Pattaya Mail
2006 was ‘It goes from strength to strength’ - well we
know how true that was then - it certainly still is, and so it was on
Sunday 9th September at the Diana Garden Resort
& Driving Range for the families, for the children, and for 250
needy kids from the charities we support who came for a fun day out.
Seeing them all in their colorful ‘Care for Kids’ event shirts
smiling and having a great time was a real highlight.
The Diana
Driving Range was in great condition and luckily, in true Jesters
tradition, the weather was kind all day. It was sunny and hot in the
morning and then overcast with a light breeze in the afternoon. So there
was nothing to deter the enthusiasm of the
organizers, the eighty-eight stallholders, the performers entertaining
throughout the day, and the many, many families and fairgoers that came
by.
Jester
Kevin (‘Mighty Mitch’) set it all up at the Diana
Garden Resort & Driving Range for the sixth consecutive year, with
his genial patience, efficiency and good humor. Riding shotgun with
clipboard was Wild Bill Freeman keeping the Fair administration tight.
The Diana Driving Range is a large enough venue with ideal facilities to
stage a major outdoor event on this scale. It was the best layout yet,
skillfully designed to welcome fairgoers and make it easy for them to
shop the stalls, relax in the shaded areas, and enjoy a wide variety of
food stalls and watch the activities.
The vigorous Children’s
Raffle squad Bernie Tuppin, Pui, Bibi and Tukata.
The
demonstrations and stage performances were enhanced this year by a new
12m x 12m ante-stage and a clearly audible sound system. The families
came in droves all day and the overwhelming sight was the multitude of
happy children having fun and displaying the 2007 colorful event shirt.
After all, it was their day. There was something for everyone to enjoy
throughout, including the Children’s Tug-of-War followed by the
Children’s Raffle, drawn at 4 pm with a fantastic range of prizes to
be won.
The action
packed day began at 10 am with the Opening
Ceremony. Lewis ‘Woody’ Underwood, Jesters Charity Drive committee
chairman, gave a warm welcoming speech acknowledging the enormous
support from all the sponsors and especially the record breaking level
of corporate sponsorship supporting the 10th
Anniversary Jesters Charity Drive. Corporate sponsorship that included
our first Diamond (400,000 baht) sponsor Steve J. Lake, plus 28 Platinum,
14 Gold, 22 Silver & 72 Bronze sponsors and 40 Pledge
Program sponsors. A total of just over 6 million baht, with Children’s
Fair and with the Party Night results still to be added.
Ready for the ride with
Chanyuth Hengtrakul and Sopin Thappajug.
Due credit
was afforded by name to the honorary Jester committee members who
contribute essential skills, expertise and their time freely, to make
the fund raising effort of ‘Care for Kids’
successful. The ceremonial ribbon was cut by Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn, Sopin Thappajug (managing director of the
Diana Group and generous host to the Children’s Fair), Lewis Underwood
(chairman, Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive committee) and
Graham Macdonald (JCD corporate sponsorship director). Mayor Niran gave
a welcoming address and the 2007 Jesters Children’s Fair was a ‘Go’.
A colorful
marching band from a Pattaya School 3 played the National Anthem and
performed with precision and enthusiasm to open
and conclude the opening ceremony.
It would
not be a Jesters Children’s Fair without Jesters MC proudly bringing
on the Harleys, so four immaculate gleaming machines with engines at
spine tingling high throttle concluded the ceremony.
Then it was
over to emcees Neil Smith and Jester Poodle Pete
(in Thai) to keep things going at pace throughout the day, and they did
just that. The lovely kids from the Fountain of Life released colorful
balloons and it was time for the activities to begin.
The
Children’s Variety Show was first up at 10.30 am featuring many of the
140 kids from the Fountain of Life giving two beautiful performances
representing the very young and the older kids attending the Center. 50
orphans from the Ban Jing Jai orphanage, 30 children from the Mercy
Center & Khopai Kindergarten, APEC 2003 and
musicians & singers from the Redemptorist School for the Blind
completed that first set. By then it was high noon and time for lots of
exciting children’s games enthusiastically organized by Linden Phanpho
from ISE with fellow teacher Brett Stone from St. Andrews.
Sister Joan and Sopin
Thappajug, Pattaya’s two beloved angels
of benevolence and compassion.
The games
were run in front of the stage with many prizes donated by Double A
Logistics, Pattaya International Ladies Club and lots of lovely lollies
from Robert ‘Scar’ Taylor. That was just the first of three children’s
games sessions organized throughout the day.
The Variety
Show then continued with fifteen members of the
Taekwondo branch of the International Martial Arts School demonstrating
their skills. The smallest student, diminutive red belt Samm Franklin,
showed that size is not essential to be able to break a wood block with
a running flying side-kick.
After
another games session the variety show continued with live music from
the Regent’s ‘Through the Dawn’ band and APEC 2003.
More
children’s games followed, some with great
Superman costumes made by ladies from PILC, until it was time for the
presentation of bicycles, donated by Mark & Jack Gorda to the ‘Best
of Class’ kids at the Fountain of Life in memory of Chris Kays.
The ever
popular Climbing Wall, Bouncy Kingdom and Horseshoe Point pony rides
were busy throughout the day and the new attraction from 2006, the
cotton candy stalls, were a huge success with an extra stall sponsored
this year by Capt. Steve to meet anticipated demand.
The
Children’s Activity area was the best yet
providing the most fun for the younger ones. Primarily organized by the
local international school communities, these stalls featured all sorts
of fun and games. Staff, students and parents from Garden International
School, St Andrews International School, The Regent’s School and the
International School Eastern Seaboard turned out in force to support the
‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive, and ensure fun for everyone. A star
attraction was the Regent’s ‘Penalty Shoot-out’ and the ever
popular face painting.
This year
the games accent was on ‘Secret’ with secret numbers, secret color
wheel, secret lollipops, secret dips and lots more.
The Kids
did not go hungry either, as the Fountain of Life had set up mess tents
providing a ‘fine dining’ facility for more than 500 children to
enjoy. Far more meals than the Fountain of Life Sisters and staff
normally prepare for kids at the Center. For the fairgoers there were
some 18 food stalls offering a wide variety of
Western and Asian food & snacks and something to tantalize every
palate.
Meanwhile ,
the professional entertainers were back on stage and then it was time
for the children in age groups to ‘take the
strain’ in the exciting and well matched Tug-O-War.
The
Children’s Raffle followed and featured 22 draw prizes, worth over
60,000 baht, generously sponsored by Pattaya Sports Club, Tahitian Queen,
Franklin Family, Diana Group, Pattaya Trader, Capt. Steve Ponter &
the Double A Logistics team. The Children’s raffle raised over
120,000 baht largely due to the sterling work of student
sales teams from ISE and the Regent’s, and Double ‘A’ Logistics
staff. Bernie Tuppin and I sweated it out all day, ably assisted by my
family team of Tukata, Pui & Bibi, my wife Banjob sorting the stubs,
young Samm pulling the tickets in the Raffle draw and Jeff Paladeau
presenting the prizes in exactly the right order. Big Jester Ronny had
fun starring in the prize presentation ‘action photo-calls’ with
each of the winners.
Raffle
ticket sales during the day were encouraged with a variety of incentive
vouchers supplied by the Minor Food Group, courtesy of John Heineke, redeemable
at Dairy Queen, Swensen’s, Burger King, Sizzler and The Pizza Company.
CDs, posters & T shirts signed by Tata Young also helped to boost
sales. Look your name on the list of Children’s raffle prizes,
sponsors and winners.
The final
period of the fair was left to live music from Annie’s band and Pop’s
Pattaya All Stars, a final tour of the stalls and, for
the organizers and stallholders, a well deserved visit to the Jesters
beer tent for a cold Heineken or Tiger beer, or the Blue Parrot stall
for a few chilled Margaritas, assuming there were any left at that late
stage. Our thanks to all the ‘beer donors’ providing cans for the
beer garden valued at 190,000 baht. (See Donor list). Noticeably,
donations come from far away places now as the Jesters Charity Drives
have become established. Paul Baker, who ran the beer tent this year,
arrived in time for the Fair with a corporate donation of 100,000 baht
from The Zima 3 Sakhalin ‘imbibers’ in Russia. Whatever next?
And, if it
all got too exciting at any time, Bangkok Pattaya
Hospital nurses were there to give a free blood pressure check for
adults and children. Grateful thanks to the BPH Ambulance Unit too, for
being on station all day to deal with any mishaps or emergencies.
There was
never a dull moment and certainly no lack of enthusiasm or enjoyment
throughout the day. In fact, from very early on one could detect a real
‘buzz’ at the fair, and a great atmosphere that lasted to the close,
many fairgoers staying right to the end. However, at 6 pm it was time to
wrap, with the inevitable few lingering on, sitting around, enjoying the
live music with a relaxing drink, wanting more, and wondering how the
day had passed so quickly.
It had been
another hugely successful Jesters Children’s
fair to celebrate the Jesters 10th
Anniversary ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive.
Truly a
children’s day in a ‘one-off’ Children’s Park created
uniquely at the Diana Garden Resort & Driving range. It was a day
for the whole family to enjoy, and the only day of its kind for
children on the Eastern Seaboard throughout the year.
Finally, on
behalf of the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity
Drive Committee, sincere thanks to all the fairgoer families and
children that came to support the Jesters 2007 Children’s Fair, the
stallholders, the Schools, our Charity Drive partners - namely Baltex,
Jameson’s, Pattaya Mail and the Diana Group; our first ever
Diamond sponsor Steve J. Lake and all the corporate sponsors: 28
Platinum, 14 Gold, 22 Silver, and 72 Bronze, plus 40 Pledge program
sponsors. Special thanks to Sopin and the Diana Group management for
generously providing the Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range
facility for the sixth consecutive year.
Can it ever
be better? Well, rest assured that the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’
Charity Drive committee will, with your support, certainly try to raise
the bar again in 2008.
See it all
on PMTV, Saturday 15th
September.
Romance in the air at Wedding Dreams fair
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh
(left), along with Dominik Stamm (2nd left) and honored guests open the
proceedings.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Beautiful weddings for beautiful couples was the theme of a two-day fair at
the Ananda Ballroom at Amari Orchid Resort & Towers, with wedding fashion,
jewelry, cosmetics, gifts, romantic honeymoon packages and a lot more on
display.
The Wedding Dreams event was opened on September 1 by Deputy Mayor Ronakit
Ekasingh, along with Chaiwat Charoensuk, director of the Tourism Authority
of Thailand Region 3 Office, and Amari Orchid Resort general manager Dominik
Stamm.
A modern wedding fashion show was a highlight, and young couples paying a
deposit to secure a wedding package were being presented with a candle-lit
dinner for two at Mantra Restaurant and Bar, or a two-hour luxury treatment
at the resort’s Sivara Spa.
There were also opportunities to win one night’s accommodation at the Amari
Orchid Resort, along with restaurant vouchers, cosmetic gift sets and
theater tickets.
A modern wedding fashion show
was a highlight.
The tradition Champagne tower.
The ornate setting for a Thai
wedding.
Wedding fashion, jewelry,
cosmetics, gifts, romantic honeymoon packages and a lot more were on
display.
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