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More scenes from CARAT 2009
Rear Adm. Nora Tyson,
Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, exchanges gifts with a child at
the Pattaya Orphanage. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd
Class Jason M. Tross/Released)
Rear Adm. Nora Tyson visited
the orphanage as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)
Thailand 2009. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class
Jason M. Tross/Released)
Rear Adm. Nora Tyson,
Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, and Royal Thai Navy Rear Adm.
Chaiyot Sundaranaga, Commander, Frigate Squadron 2, prepare to release sea
turtles into the Gulf of Thailand from the Royal Thai Navy Turtle
Conservation Center. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd
Class Jason M. Tross/Released)
Rear Adm. Nora Tyson releases
a sea turtle into the Gulf of Thailand from the Royal Thai Navy Turtle
Conservation Center. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd
Class Jason M. Tross/Released)
Lt. David Dow, a U.S. Navy
dental officer, leads a team of Sailors and local residents during a
tug-of-war. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class
Jason M. Tross/Released)
Sailors and Marines from the
dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) compete in a potato sack race
during CARAT Thailand 2009. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class Jason M. Tross/Released)
(Left) U.S. Marines embarked
aboard the dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) greet opposing Thai
soccer players during a sports day for CARAT Thailand 2009. (U.S. Navy Photo
by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason M. Tross/Released)
Rear Adm. Nora Tyson sings
with children at the Pattaya Orphanage. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason M. Tross/Released)
Sailors and Marines from the
CARAT Task Group, including USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), USS Chafee DDG 90)
and USS Crommelin (FFG 37) play soccer with local Royal Thai Navy Sailors
and Thai civilians. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist
(AW/NAC) Thomas Brennan/Released)
Smaller turnout for PILC June food drop
Fiona Brown
On Thursday July 2 a smaller group than usual from the Pattaya
International Ladies Club (PILC) due to the holiday period met at Food Land.
Supporting Ingrid, the chair of the Welfare Committee and Kathleen her
stalwart right hand, the group proceeded on to the first of many stops that
morning - Kate’s Project - bringing with them a selection of “Thai basics”
which are packaged by the children of the Fountain of Life and distributed
to some of the many needy on a monthly basis around Pattaya. A total of 40
bags are given out each month feeding 110 families over the calendar year on
a Rota system, each bag contains 3kg rice, and 6 tins fish oil, large bottle
oil, large bottle fish sauce and 8 packets of Mama noodles.
 A
worthy family receives food parcels.
15 bags were given to the families in waiting at Kate’s together with a
special donation of Addidas and Nike footballs donated by Pattaya City
Football Club. These were eagerly “bounced” by the children.
We moved onto a private home alongside the railway road to be greeted by a
beaming lady on crutches who had lost a leg to diabetes. She was ready and
waiting for us in what looked like her “Sunday best” and lipstick to match
with great smiles and giggles of welcome for us! Lovely!
The next call for us was to another older lady. She in turn greeted us
warmly and pleasantly. She spoke wonderful English. She delighted in telling
us about her granddaughter, aged 9, who was attending school. Her friend was
introduced also and we were told she was visiting for the day to catch up on
the “gossip”. If there had been “Chaa Ron” in the pot we could have stayed
all afternoon.
 Noi
from Kate’s Project with some of the goods the families are being taught to
make and sell.
The fourth stop was at Khun Jar’s temporary home for children under the
“Child Protection Umbrella”. He has done a wonderful job erecting wooden
lodgings for the 40 kids currently housed there, who have now the good
fortune to be moving to their permanent residence currently under
construction opposite their temporary home. Their new home when complete
will be 3, 2 storey, 3 bedroom brick residences. Complete with their own
pigs and chickens.
Our penultimate visit was to “Grandma Nid’s” home, as she is affectionately
known in welfare circles. Unfortunately she was not home as she was out
looking for work. What an inspiration as we were told she will “do
anything”. A family member gratefully received her food bag together with
1000 baht so she is now able to buy thread and start up her loom once again
and make things ready for our bazaar in October.
 Fiona
Brown with footballs donated to the kids.
Finally we stopped at Bahn Pak Rak Peun, the AIDS home where there are 8
very sick ladies suffering from AIDS or the HIV virus, together with a lady
who has “TB.” She assured us she was “well today”.
Along with the regular food bags we also left a special delivery of
essentials such as: Cleaning products, sanitary protection, shampoos, bin
bags and the obligatory fly/bug sprays. These items are kindly purchased
each month by Alana Clarke from the proceeds of the Quiz Night.
This was my first visit on the “food drop” journey which I found
heartwarming and humbling that these people allow us such a personal insight
into their lives.
For more information on the projects and where they are located, or if you
would like to help in any way please contact either Ingrid, chair of the
Welfare Committee on 0870631807 or Kathleen on 0861531545. Or alternatively
come along next month to see for yourself.
Jar’s new development
progress.
Y.W.C.A. marks anniversary,
Princess’s birthday by planting coral
Nittaya Patimasongkroh (right), chairwoman of the Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya
Center, and the children show off their coral before planting them into the
sea.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Marking both its 24th anniversary and the birthday of HRH Princess
Soamsawalee, the Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya Center brought Pattaya students to
the shore in Samae San to plant coral.
 Nittaya
Patimasongkroh, chairwoman of the Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya Center leads
those with impaired vision to experience touching the coral.
The Y.W.C.A. Gives Back to Nature project saw more than 40 students from
Pattaya School 7 and the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind converge
on Samae San’s Luang Por Dam Temple for the July 21 celebration. Also taking
part were the Volunteers to Support Pattaya Tourism and the Pattaya
Christian Club.
Y.W.C.A. Chairwoman Nittaya Patimasongkroh said the project was organized
because many children lack the opportunity to go on educational field trips
and enjoy outdoor activities.
 Sight
impaired youngsters enjoy having the opportunity to plant coral.
“Children very seldom get to perform real activities that benefit society
due to travel hardships and lack of support for the disabled,” she said.
During the exercise, each child planted a piece of Staghorn coral. They were
guided by members of the Venythai environmental group, which aims to plant
80,000 pieces of coral along Thailand’s coastline.
The coral branches were placed in a PVC tube they had prepared. The plastic
was fitted with screws to affix coral to both sides before planting them in
the sea at a minimum depth of 1.5 meters. Some of the children also got a
chance to dive in and see coral and small fish in the sea.
Blind students get a sense of what coral feels like.
The screw was not properly affixed.
Students and staff help sight impaired children to plant the Staghorn coral.
The children prepare to dive into the shallows to see the coral.
Officials and members of the Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya gather the children to
plant Staghorn coral to celebrate the 24th anniversary of Y.W.C.A.
Bangkok-Pattaya.
Members of the Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya pose for a group photo with the
children.
Redemptorist School for Blind receives
40,000 baht from Y.W.C.A.
The Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya
Center donates 40,000 baht
to support people with vision problems.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind is getting closer to
completing its expansion thanks to a donation from the Y.W.C.A.
Bangkok-Pattaya Center.
Nittaya chats with students.
Y.W.C.A. Chairwoman Nittaya Patimasongkroh July 21 presented school
principal Aurora Sribuaphan with 40,000 baht to purchase supplies and treat
vision problems.
Nittaya said the donation was one of many the Y.W.C.A. makes to area groups.
It’s also planning to provide assistance to the Chonburi women’s prison in
the near future.
Aurora said that the funds would used to purchase school supplies and
equipment for Building 1 under HRH Princess Sirindhorn’s Royal Patronage. It
is located opposite the main school building. Another two buildings are
under construction. The new facilities are for vocational training for blind
students.
Blind children read their books.
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