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Stories
November 2020
This past weekend was both Halloween and Loy Krathong here in Thailand.  Judging by friends' Facebook photos, it seems that families, both Thai and foreign, at least those here in the city, are developing a taste for putting their children in costumes and going house-to-house in search of treats, with entire moobaans (subdivisions) getting into the act with elaborate Halloween decorations. Meanwhile, the Thai tradition of floating krathongs, basically floral arrangements with a candle and incense sticks, continues as an annual tradition to wash away cares and problems. 
 
And, since Thailand acted early to stop Covid-19, with just a few isolated cases in many months, everyone carried on with just mask wearing. It was good to see that everything was nearly back to normal. Except for one thing -- no tourists or resident foreigners who had the misfortune to be out-of-Thailand when the lockdown hit.  Sadly, this means that many local people dependent on tourists and resident foreigners for their income are still hard-hit so everything is not as "normal" as it appeared in the photos of this weekend's merriment.
 
We've been busy in October, and this Bulletin reflects that.  At times, too busy, and we wish we had our out-of-country members here to help. Take time to relax and read about our activities, below.  You can better view each story by clicking on the story's title where you'll be taken to the story on our website, displayed in a full-page, easy-to-view format
 
President's Message for November 2020

We survived the rainy season and are now entering into the cold season of November through January with a double celebration at the end of October of both Halloween and a much-scaled back Loy Krathong Festival. Businesses and people in Northern Thailand still remain under stresses created by the Covid-19 pandemic. A third of our membership remains “locked-out” of Thailand due to Covid-19.

Our service project involvement in our community has been quite intense with the Children's Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Project (CWS&DPP) currently underway here and in Phrao. Our newly initiated CMIRC School Vision Screening Project (CSVP) came on with a roar due to the Tessaban schools wanting all students screened before the end of the year (with an intervening one-month November interval of no screening due to school exam and holiday schedules). The goal is to screen all 3rd and 5th grade students in all eleven Tessaban schools before the end of this calendar year. In addition, our annual Children’s Winter Clothing and School Supplies Project has kicked off with the start of cold season. You will read more about these projects, with more detail, from the project champions.

Our involvement continues with the Burma Children Medical Fund's BCMF B.K.Kee Patient House and with The BEAM Education Foundation. The B.K. Kee Patient House has returned to near normal. The BEAM Foundation is still evaluating the role our members can play in their new “remote learning “environment.

Our officers and committee leadership need to be identified for the RY 2021-2022. The following positions have persons nominated to fill the position: President – Dylan Thomason; Secretary – Nick Dale; Treasurer – Nancy Lindley; Foundation Chair – Roger Lindley; Youth Programs Director – Chili Humphrey; Membership Chair – Viki Thomason; Public Image Chair – Roger Lindley. The following positions need to be filled: Service Projects Committee Chair and the Fundraising Committee Chair.

A reminder on several upcoming events. The first is the Inter-City meeting on the afternoon of November 28th and morning of November 29th at the Garden Resort, Muang District, Lampang Province. I sent an email to all members about this event and if interested in attending please contact me. The other is the opening ceremony for GG 2010441 – Cultivating Sustainable Peace Culture in School on Tuesday, December 8th at 2:00 PM at Ban Sanphakwan School in Hang Dong. Our club provided 500 USD of our District Dedicated Funding (DDF) in support of this project. Other partners in this project will visit from Rotary Club of Bangkok and Rotary Club of Dhonburi. For more information please contact me or IPP John.


 
School Vision Screening Gets Underway

Finally! The CMIRC School Vision Screening Project is in operation!! We have a great team of trained volunteers including nine CMIRC Rotarians, two Rotary Club of Chiang Mai Wattana Rotarians and two Rotary Club of Chiang Mai North Rotarians. We also have eight non-Rotarians (some will soon become Rotarians!!) including opticians Khun One and Khun Wut.

We began on October 8 at the Wat Suan Dok School by screening all 3rd and 5th-graders and children from other grades who the teachers had identified as having vision problems. We then continued screenings during the month of October at the Wat Muen Ngern Gong, Wat Chiang Yuen, Wat Puak Chang, Wat Sri Suphan, and Wat Pa Phaeng Schools. (left is an overview of our screening at Wat Sri Suphan)

Those children who exhibit vision problems during the screening then see our optician partner Khun One from Wen One Optic for an on-site examination and prescription, if needed (pictured right). In all, we screened 459 children and wrote 68 prescriptions for glasses, which the children will receive free-of-charge, and distributed 12 reading glasses.

CMIRC would like to recognize the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai North for their support for children with serious vision problems that go beyond what an optician and prescription glasses can address. We have identified such a child (Nong Nichaporn) at Wat Suan Dok School and have made arrangements with her dad and school staff for her to be examined by a pediatric ophthalmologist at the CMU University Medical School Hospital. (In the photo, Nong Nichaporn is holding her dad's hand, with school staff at right, and I'm at left with my wife Phijitra, who is a valuable asset for this project.)

In December, we will provide vision screening for all 3rd and 5th grade students at the remaining 6 Tessabon (Municipal) Schools in Chiang Mai. We will then have screened children at all 11 municipal schools where the poorest families send their children. We estimate that with the Wat Suan Dok School included we will have screened over 800 students this year!!

This program is being made possible by the very generous donation from the Rotary Club of Spokane #21; their gift to the children of Chiang Mai will cover all costs with the exception of the children’s frames. One thousand, high quality New Balance children’s frames have been donated by Eyewear Designs Limited of Bethpage, NY, USA.

Our School Vision Screening Team:

    


 
Winter Clothing Donations Reach Ban Pui School in Chiang Mai Province

The Children’s Winter Clothing & School Supplies Appeal has now been running for two weeks. We must say that even this initiative feels the negative aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to our experiences, fewer clothes are being donated. Regardless, our generous donors have supplied 10 boxfuls of winter clothes so far. We’re delighted to announce that two campuses of the Lanna International School (@Airport & @North Hill) and the Interact Club of the Chiang Mai International School and Unity Concord International School  have each expressed interest in managing a donation box on our behalf. We’ve been offered help by some of the Chiang Mai Expats Club members too. We are truly grateful for the commitment of our community. Keep up the great work!

We’ve already started the distribution of donations during the last week of October. The timing seems right, as temperatures already dropped below 10C degrees on Doi Inthanon, the highest peak of Thailand.

This year, our first destination was the Ban Pui School in Hot District of Chiang Mai Province. What started out as an easy-peasy 2 or 3-hour drive between Chiang Mai and Bo Luang, turned into an 18-hour adventure (survival?) trip to deliver winter clothes, driving through jungle pathways, crossing rivers, and navigating through 4x4 wheel-drive worthy “roads.” Even though our tireless Rotarian Dylan arrived well after dark, the donations were truly appreciated, as shown below.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED - As you may know, many government schools in Thailand don’t have the basic resources at their disposal to meet their educational needs. They lack pencils, paper, books, and lots of items critical to learning effectively. The Chiang Mai International Rotary Club is dedicated to helping these institutions throughout Northern Thailand by collecting and distributing essential supplies they need to provide quality education to their students. Would you like to get involved? Click here to read about the different ways you can help.


 
Drowning Prevention Program is Progressing Swimmingly

Chiang Mai International Rotary Club (CMIRC)-Kru Payu  Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program (CWSDPP) 

We have already completed five of our planned twelve CMIRC survival swim and water safety classes at our Bronco Kids Sport Club pools! One hundred 4th-graders from the Wat Sri Ping Muang, Wat Chiang Yuen, the Wat Sridonchai and the Wat Pa Phaeng Municipal Schools and another 35 4th-graders from the Wat Suan Dok School have completed ten swim and water safety lessons (90 minutes each). We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai-Wattana and the Safe Child Thailand Foundation for their help with our new program at the Wat Suan Dok School.

In addition to our programs in Chiang Mai, we are working with the Warm Heart Foundation to conduct programs in Phrao with the support of a grant from the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy (BCTFN). In the photo, right, I'm at far right and Ian Bushell of BCTFN is at far left with our swim instructors in Phrao.

Our great Phrao-based swim instructor team has already taught 113 children survival swimming and water safety skills at five schools (Ban Khun Jae, Tha Magieng, Ban Mae Pung, Ban Pa Toom, and Choomchon Sahagorn). We will train at least sixty more 4th-graders at two additional schools in Phrao this year. Our swim instructor program director Kru Payu will be visiting Phrao next month to conduct advanced training for our five Phrao-based swim instructors. Our team just keeps on improving and advancing their skills!!

The news from our Banya Migrant Learning Centre program in Phuket remains the same this month; it is is still uncertain. Thanks to a very generous donation by Rotarian Bob Ashley, and our partnership with the Rotary Club of Patong Beach and their swim instructor team led by Kru Gob, we remain ready to train their 4th-graders. Unfortunately, the Thai authorities have not yet permitted the reopening of the migrant learning centres. We are hoping that we can start our program at the Banya MLC soon, but it looks increasingly like we will have to wait until the new year.

Finally, due to Covid-19 our CMIRC fundraising efforts have been greatly reduced. This will challenge our ability to continue our Chiang Mai – based component of CMIRC’s Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program. We have applied for an Australian Embassy Direct Assistance Grant to fund our 2021 program in Chiang Mai. We received a grant from them in 2018 to start our Phrao Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program, now fully funded by a grant from the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy. Let’s all hope that the Australian Embassy Direct Assistance Grant can help us fully fund our Chiang Mai program and get through this very difficult time!!

We are also supported by the Thai Thaim Foundation of Park Rapids, Minnesota, USA and Rotarian Bob Ashley and of course all the generous donors to the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club.

We started this program in 2015 and we are still going strong and serving more children every year thanks to our wonderful sponsors and CMIRC volunteers!

 

 
BEAM's Outreach to Help Migrant Learning Centers

This year has certainly been a year of throwing everything out of the pram. Time has flown and we've had the Loy Khrathong festival early on 30-31 October, as dictated by the lunar cycles. In rummaging among the shelves in Robinsons, DIY, M&S and so too with many other stores, you are greeted with Christmas decorations and other tempting goodies; 2021 is just 10 weeks away

At the BEAM Education Foundation they are planning on two fronts: the GED exam timetable for March-April 2021 and a Global fundraising campaign for migrant teachers -- see their request below. If you are able to help or have ideas, please make contact directly to Beam Education Foundation.

Contact details are supplied. Thank You

*******************************

Dear Friends & Partners,

Greetings from BEAM Education Foundation. We hope this email finds you each safe and stay healthy.

There are over 700 migrant teachers currently serving in 64 Migrant Learning Centres (MLCs) in Mae Sot, Thailand. The migrant teachers work with inadequate resources, have fewer training opportunities, and are underpaid for the valuable work they do to ensure that migrant children are not left uneducated. In response to the urgent needs of these at-risk migrant teachers, BEAM has recently launched a Global Giving campaign to raise funds for the remuneration, capacity building, safety, and security of 20 migrant teachers for one year.

Please consider donating to our latest project to help migrant teachers teach out-of-school children. No amount is EVER too small. To donate, visit: http://goto.gg/49434

Beneficiaries for this campaign include migrant teachers, youth, and children in marginalized communities. Thank you in advance for your support and generosity! Do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any questions about our campaign.

Please take a minute to share this post with friends and partners to support our work. We are always grateful. Thank you.

Best Regards,

Wai Phyo Aung, Deputy Director

BEAM Education Foundation www.beamedu.org

Office: +66 (0) 81 993 8227, Tel./Fax. +66 (0) 53 200024


 
October Update for the B.K.Kee Patient House

We made two visits to the Burma Children Medical Fund's B.K.Kee Patient House during the month of October and both visits were quite enjoyable. Our October 4th visit was a musical and dancing game (left) that has become a regular activity the residents fully enjoy.

The second visit was Halloween-themed and the creative juices were really flowing that day. The residents and family members had choices to color, draw or paint. We brought some orange balloons with us and at the last minute realized these would be great to blow up and paint to resemble a jack-o-lantern (right). Great fun was had by all. 

Our annual Christmas Party will be on December 20th, beginning at 11:00 and ending at 1:00. As the time gets closer, I will be coordinating with members and Patient House staff to obtain as accurate a count as possible for the number of patients, family members and staff as well as ages of the children and young adults who will be present. If you plan on attending this year, could please email current Project Champion Bill Pierce at depeche41@aol.com 

If any Rotarians are interested in joining us on our every other Sunday visits, please reach out. (See above email address) We are required to wear face coverings during the entire visit. We leave the Shell station on Huay Kaew Rd. at 11:00 and usually complete our visit around 12:30.


 
CMIRC's Little Girl at Warm Heart in Phrao

For the past three years CMIRC has donated the proceeds of our 2nd quarter (the current quarter) raffle, which we conduct at each club meeting, to cover the yearly room and board costs of a foster child at the Warm Heart Foundation in Phrao.  For the past two years that child has been Nong Gai, now 15 years old and in 9th -grade (M-3).  I had the chance to visit her on my most recent trip to Phrao in October (photo, left).  She is growing up!  She says thank you to CMIRC for helping her to live and attend school in Phrao.  In her village, she was unable to attend school beyond 6th grade (P-6). (Nong Gai is pictured, right, with me and Evelind Schecter, the co-founder of Warm Heart Foundation, a year ago!)


 
Reminders About Our 9@9 Zoom Meetings

These meetings are an outgrowth of the ZOOM meetings that were started due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 outbreak on holding face-to-face regular meetings. They have continued as the 9@9 Meeting as a means for the club members here to stay in monthly contact with our members who are presently outside of the country. The 9@9 designates the meeting on the ninth day of the month at 9 PM Thailand time.

The moderator for these meetings is IPP John Schorr with our SAA Bill Pierce acting as the “gate keeper”. Members of the club are on the invitation list for these meetings. If a member feels that the attendance of a non-member to one of these meeting would be beneficial for member recruitment, you may share the meeting name and password with that person BUT please let them know this should not be shared with others and please inform SAA Bill of the person’s name for admitting them to the meeting. If not on the admission list, they will not be admitted. This is done to prevent unwanted crashing of the meetings or the introduction of inappropriate content into the meetings.

These 9@9 Meetings are not intended to be used as inter-club meetings or for the purpose of make-ups by non-club members. Inter-club or other meetings can be identified, setup and announced as such, and conducted at another time besides 9@9.


 
RAGAS Here and Abroad

In the next several words I will attempt to answer a few questions that I’ve been asked in the past month and then provide some information about our activities. My hope is that you will join us in our passion to stop human trafficking, especially of children in Thailand. 

Tell me more about your Rotary E-Club. Rotary Club Ending Human Trafficking is an e-club based in District 5950. Our focus is Ending Human Trafficking. Contact info@endhtrotaryclub.org for more information.

What is RAGAS? Rotary Action Group Against Slavery. Most RAGAS members are Rotarians. However only District Ambassadors, Coordinators and Board Members are required to be active members of Rotary. Learn more and join at http://ragas.online. The level of activity is up to each member; many are extremely active while others view their membership as a sign of solidarity in the fight against modern slavery. We need you!

What is TRAGAST? Thailand RAGAS Team. We are RAGAS members active in Thailand. Our primary goal is to eradicate trafficking of children in Thailand. We are also investigating possible projects with other organizations which may involve wider aspects including prosecution and protection, as well as prevention.

TRAGAST Activities

1. We are raising awareness by making presentations to Rotary Clubs and at Rotary Events, such as the 31 October presentation to the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai Phuping, (poster right). 

Here are upcoming presentations, both in-person and on-line: 

11/13/20 Rotary Club of Bangkok South 12:00 p.m. Crowne Plaza Hotel, Bangkok

11/19/20 Rotary Club of Santa Maria Breakfast 07:00 a.m. PST on Zoom

11/28/20 - 11/29/20 District 3360 Inter City Meeting Pang Luang Garden Resort, Lampang

12/08/20 Rotary Club of Bankapi 12:00 p.m. Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok

12/17/20 Rotary Club of Chiang Rai North 06:30 p.m. The Riverie by Katathani, Chiang Rai

01/17/21 “The Longest Lunch” Awareness/Fundraising Event 12:00 p.m. Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club

01/21/21 Rotary Club of Chiang Mai 07:00 p.m. Dusit D2, Chiang Mai

2. We are preparing presentations and projects designed to teach children, their teachers, and their parents about human trafficking and what they can do to protect themselves. We are looking into working with government and community based organizations and private schools.

3. We are working and coordinating with various organizations to expand our reach. Based on a recent meeting with Amnesty International and other organizations, we intend to increase our human trafficking prevention curriculum to include peace and conflict resolution, human rights, alcohol and drug prevention.  At left, Thailand RAGAS Team visits Amnesty International.

4. We are developing a series of presentations designed to raise awareness about the danger pedophiles present to organizations. The first presentation will be at Chiang Mai International Rotary Club on Tuesday 19 January 2021.

5. We are in the early stages of forming a consortium of organizations involved in the fight against modern slavery/human trafficking.

Specific Help Wanted:

1. Individuals wanting to make a difference are encouraged to join RAGAS and perhaps become involved with TRAGAST.

2. Rotarians and Rotary Clubs will be given an opportunity to participate in all of the events we are creating. Without your help, we cannot help the endangered children.

3. We are meeting with Rotary Clubs in preparation of choosing partners for larger projects, including Global Grants.

4. We would appreciate introductions to other organizations that are involved in the fight against human trafficking or may want to be.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”, from Edmund Burke. He also wrote "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." These were written over 200 years ago and still remain as absolute truth!

Editor's note:  Jerry Nelson is the RAGAS Coordinator for Thailand, Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Ending Trafficking and an Honorary Member of Chiang Mai International Rotary Club. Contact him at jnelson.ragas@gmail.com
 
Rotary International's November Focus is The Rotary Foundation

https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50040/stories/november-is-foundation-month-%E2%80%93-the-rotary-foundation

The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary International, we tap into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact. Strong financial oversight, a stellar charity rating, and a unique funding model mean that we make the very most of your contribution. Give and become a part of Rotary’s life-changing work!

The collective leadership and expertise of our 1.2 million members helps us tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, locally and globally. We are united by common values and vision for the future as we sharpen our focus with targeted specific causes that will reach communities most in need.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

For more than 100 years, our guiding principles have been the foundation upon which our values and tradition stand. The Four-Way Test, Object of Rotary, and the Avenues of Service express our commitment to service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership.

AREAS OF FOCUS

We direct our efforts in seven areas to enhance our local and global impact. Our most successful and sustainable projects and activities tend to fall within the following areas:

  • Promoting peace
  • Fighting disease
  • Providing clean water
  • Saving mothers and children
  • Supporting education
  • Growing local economies
  • The environment

HISTORY OF THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

At the 1917 convention, outgoing RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed to set up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International.

GROWTH OF THE FOUNDATION

In 1929, the Foundation made its first gift of $500 to the International Society for Crippled Children. The organization, created by Rotarian Edgar F. “Daddy” Allen, later grew into Easter Seals. When Rotary founder Paul Harris died in 1947, contributions began pouring in to Rotary International, and the Paul Harris Memorial Fund was created to build the Foundation.

EVOLUTION OF FOUNDATION PROGRAMS

1947: The Foundation established its first program, Fellowships for Advance Study, later known as Ambassadorial Scholarships.

1965-66: Three programs were launched: Group Study Exchange, Awards for Technical Training, and Grants for Activities in Keeping with the Objective of The Rotary Foundation, which was later called Matching Grants.

1978: Rotary introduced the Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants. The first 3-H Grant funded a project to immunize six million Philippine children against polio.

1985: The PolioPlus program was launched to eradicate polio worldwide.

1987-88: The first peace forums were held, leading to Rotary Peace Fellowships.

2013: New district, global, and packaged grants enable Rotarians around the world to respond to the world’s greatest needs.

Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totaling more than $1 billion.


 
What You May Have Missed in October

The regular every other Sunday morning visits by club members to the patients and their families at Burma Children Medical Fund's B.K. Kee Patient House here in Chiang Mai where members socialize, play games, bring food and engage in craft projects with the patients and their families.

On the first and third Fridays of the month, club members attended the Chiang Mai Expats Club breakfasts to promote CMIRC and swap "Change for Children" owl banks. Also, we promoted CMIRC at CEC's monthly General Meeting on October 24. Three stuffed owl banks were returned by club supporters. (one pictured left with Treasurer Nancy).

A busy month with many members participating in CMIRC's School Vision Screenings at these local schools: October 8 at the Wat Suan Dok School; October 19 at the Wat Muen Ngern Gong School; October 22 at Wat Chiang Yuen School; October 26t at Wat Puak Chang School; October 27 at Wat Sri Suphan School; and, October 28 at Wat Pa Phaeng School.

Tuesday, October 6 at our regular club meeting at the Royal Peninsula Hotel, the program was presented by Sallo Polak of Philanthropy Connections on "The Work and Mission of Philanthropy Connections Foundation in Thailand."

Friday, October 9 our monthly 9at9 ZOOM meeting at 9 PM to stay in contact with club members who are presently isolated in overseas, unable to return to Thailand. We had a visitor, Frank Bures, a writer for The Rotarian Magazine.

Tuesday, October 20 at 7 PM our CMIRC regular club meeting at the Royal Peninsula Hotel  where PP Siriluck Chaiyawong of the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai spoke on the topic "Rotary District 3360 Youth Exchange Program for High School Students".

Saturday, October 24, CMIRC participated in the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai North’s annual Bully Bowl Fundraiser again this year.  Rotarians Colin, Nick, and John were able to field two teams. Rtn Sally paired with CMIRC Honorary Member and RC-CMN PP Elsie. CMIRC members acquitted themselves well but did not finish in the top three, except in their dreams. (At left, PP Colin and IPP John longingly hold the top trophy for a few moments, which is as close as they got to possessing it.)

Monday, October 26, an 18 hour adventure tour to deliver winter clothes to our very first destination this year, Ban Pui School in Hot District, Chiang Mai Province.

Thursday, October 29 at 1:00 PM, we had our monthly Board Meeting at the Royal Peninsula Hotel.


 

Save the Dates: November & Beyond

The needed protection measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the cancellation of many events. Others are being conducted online and others have been postponed. Below is a list of events and their status, as we currently understand them. Please remember the situation is extremely fluid and things change daily. Some of our scheduled speakers may be willing to participate in online meetings. The latest news for CMIRC events is at: https://cmirotary.org/events/calendar

Here are just a few of the important dates for members of Chiang Mai International Rotary Club (CMIRC). These are opportunities to meet some of us and to meet other Rotarians from around the world!

Every other Sunday visits by club members to Burma Children Medical Fund's  (BCMF) B. K. Kee Patient House to socialize, play games, do crafts with the patients and their families.  Interested? Contact Rotarian Bill Pierce.

Deliveries to remote schools of Children's Winter Clothing are underway in November.  Have a truck?  Want to make deliveries or ride along to help navigate?  Contact PE Dylan.

CMIRC School Vision Screening Programs are taking a break during November because of school exams and holidays.  They will resume in December.  Interested in helping?  Contact IPP John.

3 November 2020 CMIRC Regular Club meeting, 7 pm. Regular club meeting at Royal Peninsula Hotel.  Ying Charm Hom to discuss The Work and Mission of The Shan Women's Action Network. Gather at 5:45 pm for an optional dinner. 

8 November 2020 Honorary Member PP Elsie Choy's Birthday

9 November 2020 CMIRC "9 at 9" 9 pm Thai time.  A ZOOM social meeting for members in and out of Thailand.  Contact IPP John.

15 November Rtn. Niwatchai Suknaphasawat's Birthday

17 November 2020 CMIRC Regular Club meeting, 7 pm.  Regular club meeting at Royal Peninsula Hotel. Dr. Michael Shafer will speak about the Environmental Projects of The Warm Heart Foundation. Gather at 5:45 pm for an optional dinner.

24 November 2020 CMIRC Board Meeting at Royal Peninsula Hotel, 1:00 - 3:00 pm  Contact CP. Roger

 
28 - 29 November 2020 District 3360 Intercity Meeting at the Pang Luang Resort, Lampang. Dress: club/business casual.  Registration cost is 1,100 baht/person before November 15, after that date it is 1,300 baht/person.  Contact CP Roger president@cmirotary.org  or 0894308067
 
12 – 16 June 2021 - Rotary International Convention, Taipei, Taiwan.
 
4 – 8 June 2022 - Rotary International Convention, Houston, Texas, USA
 

 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
 Rotary is not free; we give our hearts, we give our time and to some extent we give our money. Most of our heart, most of our time and most of our money goes to support our children’s projects. Yet we have operational expenses, for example, our website with its powerful tools such as this bulletin. We ask that you consider our sponsors for your needs.
 
The Lila Thai Massage Ex-Inmate Employment and Skill Development Center was established in 2014 by "Naowarat Thanasrisutharat" to help and support women being released from prison. The ladies receive a massage training course from certified massage instructors (ex-inmates who work for Lila Thai Massage); these programs are endorsed by and meet the requirements of the Chiang Mai Public Health Department. This project reduces the women conviction rates in Chiang Mai and helps to solve the societal problems that perpetuate the situation, bringing about our long-cherished dream for a better community. The quality of massage at Lila Thai Massage is consistently superb.
 
Royal Peninsula Hotel is an excellent international standard hotel located in the heart of Chiang Mai. They have 150 guest rooms with all amenities including free wi-fi. There is ample onsite, covered parking. The outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi are available to guests. There is both an indoor restaurant, featuring Thai cuisine and outdoor beer garden next to the swimming pool. The Royal Peninsula Hotel has two conference and banquet rooms, well decorated, with good acoustics. The staff at Royal Peninsula are very accommodating. The Chiang Mai International Rotary Club meets at the Royal Peninsula at 7:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, with many members and guests gathering about an hour before the meeting in the hotel's restaurant for fellowship and an optional meal, ordering from the restaurant's menu of reasonably-priced Thai food.
 
Our sponsors donate money that supports our operational expenses, freeing funds for the projects we love. Please give them your support. 
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