In mid-to-late May schools in Thailand reopen after the hot season holidays, in part of March, April and part of May. So, it's time to get the kids back in the water!
Australian Direct Aid Program GrantIn May, our Australian Aid-funded Children's Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Program (CWS&DPP) in Phrao started its 3rd swim course of the year on May 27, with the course runs until June 7, followed by the 4th course, June 10 to June 21, and the fifth, June 24 to July 5. We continue to work with 4th and 5th grade students at the Ban Chaeng Khu Ruang School (ร.ร.บ้านแจ่งกู่เรือง).
We continue to work with Evelind Schecter and Khun Nian, who are our local CWSDPP representatives in Phrao. Evelind is co-founder, with Michael Shafer, of the Warm Heart Foundation.We are now actively planning another course for the BanYa Learning Centre for migrant children in Phuket. We will continue to work with the wonderful staff and administration at the British International School to teach the thirty children who were unable to complete the course the first time it was offered earlier this year.
Phetchabun Training of local instructors in Phetchabun will take place in June and the program will begin in mid-June and run until July. We anticipate between 100 and 140 4th-grade children will be taught survival swimming and water safety. We will be sending two of our best swim teacher trainers (Kru Benz and Kru Garn) and they plan to be in Phetchabun from June 4 to 7, traveling from Chiang Mai on the 3rd and back to Chiang Mai on the 8th. Our Rotary contacts at the Rotary Club of Petchabun Muang and Rotary Club of Lom Sak are actively planning for our training courses and the survival swim courses for the local children.
Patong Beach
The Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RCoPB) Larry Amsden Swim Safe Programme, under the leadership of program chair, Johan Storck, will continue the program with the Ban Sai Nam Yen School this year, with approximately one hundred 4th-graders. We are also planning a special swim teacher training program for September 12 to 16 when Eve Fraser and her trainer-volunteers from the Oz Swim Aquatics/Global Swim Aquatics will provide Australian Swim Coaches and Teachers Association international certification-level courses for our Larry Amsden Swim Safe Programme team in Patong Beach and for local municipality employees as well. Lead teacher Gob and RCoPB President Karen are also actively involved in the planning.
We received the good news this month that the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy had transferred 98,000 Baht to our bank account to be used for the continuation of our survival swim and water safety program in Phrao this coming Rotary year. We plan to start with the 4th-graders at the Ban Chaeng Khu Ruang School (ร.ร.บ้านแจ่งกู่เรือง) in August and teach all 140 - 4th graders there from August to November. We will also organize a course for the students living at our partner organization, the Warm Heart Foundation. We hope to have the Phrao program assume the same annually fully-funded status as our Chiang Mai Municipal School Program.
Chiang Mai, CMIRC-Sponsored ProgramAt our planning meeting with Khun Pomme and Kru Payu we learned from Khun Tomm that the Chiang Mai Municipal schools have confirmed we will have a certificate ceremony for the approximately 200 children who completed the CWSDP program between October and February on Wednesday, July 10. The ceremony is a fun event and visitors and donors are welcome to attend. I will provide location and time details next month.
The CMIRC Board has approved funds to continue the program in Chiang Mai for all eleven municipal schools for the next Rotary year beginning in July. This will be our 5th year offering this program to children in Chiang Mai, and this year we will teach our 2,000th child!
Swiss Lanna Society Chiang MaiFinally, the Swiss Lanna Society will donate proceeds from their Swiss National Day Event on August 1st to our Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program in Chiang Mai. This is a wonderful event, with food and music, and entertainment. All are welcome. It will be at the Skill Center Chiang Mai https://goo.gl/maps/ptYaLaB3AY5QxeYj6 and our water safety team will be doing drowning prevention and rescue demonstrations for the children around 4 pm. Contact Eveline Willi for details: SLS President president@swisslanna.com. CMIRC Treasurer Nancy also has tickets available for sale at 800 baht for a fabulous Swiss meal (remember Swiss people like meat, cheese and chocolate!)