Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2012 Sponsored by Glencore International and Canadian Jackalope Open
On Thursday, August 16 at the Diana Garden Resort, Tony Malhotra, from the Pattaya Mail, and I held our annual press conference for the Thai media. The venue was the Diana Garden Resort in North Pattaya, which is also the location for our Jesters’ Fair next month.
Besides the local press, also in attendance were Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn, Sopin Thappajug, the gracious hostess of the event and head of the Diana Group, Praichit Jetpai, president of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya, and members of the Fountain of Life Center, including 3 university graduates we sponsored through their education processes from the early days at the center to the present.
Fountain of Life’s Khru Wannee thanks the supporters.
Below is the information that was disseminated at the conference:
Intro:
* The Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive began in 1998 after Alice Poulsen from PILC met up with our Jesters MC Thailand to tell us about the needs of the Fountain of Life Center, a day care center for kids from poor families in our community.
* The result was that we organized an event, a Pub Night of auctions, grand raffle drawings and live entertainment, in early September with one 100,000 baht donor (Chonburi Siam Steel Mill Services), one beneficiary, the Fountain of Life Center for children, and 1 million baht was raised.
* Fourteen years later, we have now raised 63.5 million baht for more than 45 different projects assisting needy children.
* Our credo today is: we help needy kids get safe shelter, education via scholarships and special learning for the disabled.
How we raise funds:
* We seek donations by emailing companies and individuals both locally and internationally throughout the year; our levels of sponsorship are: Diamond (400K), Platinum (100K), Gold (50K), Silver (25K); Bronze (10K); Pledges (less than 10K); no donation is ever considered too small.
Chatladda Thepchamni, Director of Operations of the Diana Group.
* We also encourage visitors go to our website and donate by direct debit or PayPal.
* We also attract donors through the generous publicity from press releases in Pattaya Mail and interviews on PMTV throughout the year.
* Also, we raise funds from our events: Children’s Fair & Gala Party Night.
Where the funds are distributed
* First of all, JCD Committee are all volunteers, so no administrative cost is taken from donations.
* All money raised goes to the beneficiaries on the Eastern Seaboard, as well as tsunami orphans in the south and a flood relief project in Nakon Pathom for the renovation of a school.
In 2011, we raised 4.7 million baht and it went to the following projects:
* Our Target Charity (2,407,923 baht): The Fountain of Life Center in Pattaya, under the Good Shepherd Foundation, provides kids with day care, documentation, pre-education, meals, medical/dental and ultimately, scholarships for entering gov. schools. This past year 69 children received scholarships; total raised for them was Scholarships (52,815 baht): “The Next Step Program”: Ten university students are being supported through funds given to Fountain of Life Center above. Eight are in their 3rd year, one is in his first year and another graduated last month. An extra was provided for another candidate, who goes to vocational college in Sattahip, as well as tsunami orphans in Krabi since 2005.
(Seated left-right) Praichit Jetpai, Chairwoman of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya; Lewis Underwood, Chairman of Jesters Care for Kids; Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn, Sopin Thappajug, CEO of Diana Group, Tony Malhotra Director of PR for Jesters Care for Kids, with the graduates (standing left-right) Rienchai, Neffie and Chaichana.
* Public Schools (436,590 baht): we primarily provide new construction or renovation of classrooms, dormitories, canteens, first aid stations, drinking water systems and toilets. Schools benefited this past year were:
Chaknak Primary School in Nong Prue, Tungklom Primary School in Nong Prue, Pluak Dang School in Rayong and Wat Puttamrangsi School in Nakon Chaisri, Nakon Pathom, which was flooded for two months; we paid for the repairs and replacement of educational aids.
* Special Schools (415,140 baht): Mostly for new construction or renovation of classrooms, dorms, furnishings, drinking water systems, educational aids, musical instruments, sports equipment, uniforms, diet supplements for:
Recent graduate Rienchai shows off his accomplishments to Tony and Woody.
Khao Baisri Special Education for the Disabled in Sattahip (since 2005; core beneficiary), Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind in Naklua (since 2002; core beneficiary) and Special Olympics in Pattaya (since 2009).
* Shelters (1,184,030 baht): We provide new construction or renovation of emergency centers and orphanages; cover monthly food costs, yearly 24/7 care for 2 severely disabled kids with HIV, as well as taking these special kids shopping and on pleasure excursions for the following:
Camillian Home in Lat Krabang and Camillian Social Center in Rayong in (core beneficiary since 2008) is a joint venture with the Canadian Jackalope Open; Ban Jing Jai Foundation in Nong Prue (since 2006; core beneficiary) and Share Love with a Friend Project in Nong Prue; the latter provides rice/milk distribution monthly to families with disabled kids, as well as wheelchairs and extra help when needed (since June 2011; core beneficiary).
* Fair Day (188, 900 baht): We donate event shirts to our project kids and provide them with coupons at the Fair so they can play games and go on rides free of cost.
How do we promote our Charity Drive?
Efforts of Committee and with 4 Charity Drive Partners:
* Baltex Industries (SINTO) – Produce and subsidize event shirts which feature major sponsors on back and new front design annually.
* Diana Group – DGR facilities for Children’s Fair (Sopin Thappajug & DGR); 11th year at DGR.
* Amari Orchid Pattaya – for our Gala Party Night (GM David Cummings)
* Pattaya Mail Publishing – Media
* Program of press articles with linked TV.
* Features on ‘PMTV’ throughout the year. There have been weekly press releases supported by TV interviews from June 1st which will proceed through Sep 24th.
* Publicity material – Poster/flyer design, Yearbook 48 pp full color.
* Thai media & language liaison.
* Pattaya Mail has been a Platinum Sponsor (100,000 baht) for 10 years now, which is equivalent to 1,000,000 baht but in actually so much more as well.
Our Main Events are coming up soon next month
Jesters Children’s Fair
Sunday Sept 9th at Diana Garden Resort and Driving Range
(Note: Stalls are full; subsequent applicants are being waitlisted)
* Children’s Fair opens at 10 a.m. by VIP’s from City Hall, DGR, PM and Jesters; accompanied by Pattaya school marching band and Jesters motorcycles.
* 93 stalls, including all kinds of activities and food.
* Stage performances by children and teens;
* Many games and amusement for children, including bouncy castle, climbing wall, carnival rides.
* BHP Ambulance Unit. BP Stall with free check.
* Pattaya Sports Club Children’s Raffle Drawing: Flat screen TV, Giant Bear & many valuable prizes.
Jesters Gala Party Night
Saturday 22nd September at Amari Orchid Pattaya
(Note: Tables are full; subsequent applicants are being waitlisted)
* GPN starts at 7 p.m. and goes to late; book tables of 10 for international buffet @ 1800 baht per person, includes complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks
* Russell Jay, Compere, and Mark Rogers, Auctioneer, with a variety of entertainment.
* Grand Auction bidding of 20 plus items; top items are Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin signed guitar; signed NHL jerseys by Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe.
* Grand Raffle drawing of 20 great prizes, which includes Honda PCX150 (80,000 baht value); car rental voucher and hotel stay vouchers for all over Thailand.
We wrapped up the conference by inviting our 3 graduates to speak, Rienchai, Chaichana and Neffie, who were the real stars of the event. After all, the ultimate goal of our charity drive is not only to start the kids in school at primary level, but to help them go all the way through university or vocational college. And these shining examples are our successful stories can show the others that nothing is impossible if you give your best.
For further information, or to bid on an auction item, please go to www.care4kids .info or www.facebook.com/jesterscare.forkids. To make a donation, go to [email protected]
