On the 19th of November 2011, I, representing the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive, travelled with the Pattaya Flood Relief Group to the village of Baan Laak Tak Pha in Amphur Nakhorn Chaisri, located in Nakhorn Pathom Province, to observe the situation and see if the Jesters could be of help.
Of particular interest was the welfare of the children in that area. It was noted that the local school, Wat Buddhadhammarangsi, was submerged in over a metre of water and had been for some time.
Bernie and the school principal take part in a small ceremony by removing the first damaged wall board to celebrate the beginning of the project.
After the water finally receded, I made a return visit in mid-January to make an assessment of the damage. The local community had done a marvellous job of cleaning up, but lacked the finances to replace damaged educational aids and to repaint the water-stained and mildewed walls inside and outside the building.
This was definitely not a healthy environment for young children!
The Jesters Care for Kids committee decided that this was indeed a worthwhile project and deemed it a special case, like the 2004 tsunami in the south, which required their response even though it was outside of their customary Chonburi/Rayong focal area.
Heading towards the school once the flood stopped rising.
The decision was to provide the estimated funds of B250,000 to replace all damaged wall boards and repaint the bottom level of the building inside and out.
So it was decided that I would return to the school to discuss a time-frame for the work to be carried out. At the school, I was met by many of the local community members who had volunteered to carry out the work.
They were most grateful for the Jesters’ generosity and were enthusiastic to begin.
Inside a classroom once the floods started subsiding, but the high water mark can still be seen on the blackgboard.
A small ceremony was enacted with the school principal and me by removing the first damaged wall board to celebrate the beginning of the project. Work will continue on a room by room basis so as not to disrupt the children’s studies.
It is estimated the work will take several weeks as special attention has to be paid to areas that require sealing properly before paint can be applied.
Another report will follow when this project is completed.
If you are interested in helping us with projects like this, please visit us at www.care4kids.info and/or www.facebook.com/jesterscare.forkids.
Please remember that our Children’s Fair is on Sunday, September 9th and Gala Party Night on Saturday, September 22nd.
