Dear CMIRC Bulletin readers, this is a request that you support a memorial fund that has just been established within CMIRC with a $6,500 founding gift from the Gfeller-Clark family. We have already received another $500 donation from CMIRC Rtn. Raphael and others have made donations as well.
Ann Gfeller Clark was an amazing person and many of us in CMIRC were fortunate enough to have known her when Rtn. Craig Clark and Ann were in Chiang Mai. They spent many years serving the poor in SE Asia. Ann was a farm girl, and she inherited the Gfeller farm and used the funds from the sale of that farm for the Thai Thaim Foundation. The Thai Thaim Foundation has been a major donor to CMIRC for many years. The Foundation has provided support for the Children's Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Project, The Food Initiative, a village water reservoir project, and the Avocado Garden Project, now in progress.
Thai Thaim and the CMIRC are creating a comprehensive economic development, sustainable agriculture and training program for three Red Lahu villages on the Thai-Burma Border. The project includes avocado trees, which are a cash crop, tea bushes, which are “passing on the gift” from an earlier economic development project, black bone chickens and a variety of pigs that has very lean meat and very large litters--12 per litter.
For those of you who knew Ann and for those of you who can appreciate what a great giving person Ann was, we ask that you contribute to the Ann Gfeller Clark Memorial Sustainable Agriculture in Thailand Fund in her memory. Funds will be used to build much needed sustainable agriculture projects and training programs in poor villages/communities. The resulting sustainable agro-economy and healthier produce will benefit everyone. So, help if you can.