As one of our contributors writes this month, there does appear to be light at the end of the tunnel in Chiang Mai. Municipal education administrators met with us in March and it appears that they plan to open schools in May after a one-year hiatus. Hurray! Our school-based programs can get back on track. Other programs have developed innovative ways to serve their clients.
And the weather is even cooperating. This has been the "kindest" smokey season in memory. Rain showers and/or strong winds every few days have kept the burning in check. While Covid cases remain high, deaths are low due to overall high vaccination rates. The Thai government is easing re-entry requirements and we look forward to welcoming our international "friends of CMIRC" again for their holiday visits.
Pour your favorite beverage, settle in and review the many activities of Chiang Mai International Rotary Club, below. You may wish to view this Bulletin in an internet browser, instead of as an email for better effect. Or simply click on the title of a story to view it on the internet.
What does Maternal and Child Health have to do with Rotary? For starters, it’s not just the Rotary International theme for April and one of our organization’s seven areas of focus, but I believe it underpins who we are as Rotarians and the work we do to help improve communities near and far. Lest we forget, the health and wellbeing of women and children is vital to creating a healthy world. While our club remains primarily focused on child safety, health, and education, please consider spending some time this month to think about ways we can help improve the lives of mothers too.
In March, the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club has continued to make some exciting progress in expanding our Children’s Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Program (CWSDPP) into provinces outside of Northern Thailand. What’s more, thanks to efforts by Fundraising Chair David Fagerlie, we secured enough funds from several generous donors to teach students who could not participate last year due to their school being closed because of Covid-19. We are incredibly thankful for these donations.
A change in leadership occurred in the Water & Sanitation Project. The new Project Champion is Past President John Schorr. Thankfully, as a professor emeritus of Stetson University, John has an extensive background and vast experience in grant writing and management. He takes on this new responsibility in addition to his other projects – the Children’s Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Program and the School Vision Screening Program (SVSP).
Rotarian Bill and Nicha Trempus continued to work on our CMIRC "Free Food For The Poor" Initiative. The power couple organized donations for vulnerable people in San Sai, Sankamphaeng, and Chiang Dao Districts of Chiang Mai Province, and Pa Sang District of Lamphun Province. In addition, they donated survival food packages to the Urban Light Foundation.
In other news, President-Elect Viki Thomason represented the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club at the District 3360 President-Elect Training Seminar (aka Pre-PETS). The March 5th meeting was held on ZOOM, where District Governor-Elect Supaluck Lohajoti of Rotary Club of Chiang Mai Thin Thai Ngam introduced the theme for Rotary Year 2022-2023, "Imagine Rotary."
On March 24, Payap University Rotaract Club President Tiger and Treasurer Jeff traveled to the Baan Na Du School in Phrae, Lampang Province, together with the current and past presidents of the Chiang Mai University Rotaract Club to deliver books and study materials donated to their “Small Books, Big Heart” collaboration project.
The Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) Interact Club donated 75 kg of rice, 900 packets of instant noodles, 100 bottles of oil, 100 bottles of fish sauce, 200 bars of soap, and 100 cans of fish to their food drive for people in need in Chiang Mai. The club cooperates with the National Honor Society (NHS) to run this program. In addition, the CMIS Interactors organized a samosas sale and distributed the proceeds to help people affected by the crisis in Ukraine.
Unfortunately, there is a slight setback regarding the application for the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club Foundation. Our foundation office, at the Royal Peninsula Hotel, once again has become a “Covid hospitel” (a hotel turned hospital) for three months. Therefore, an in-person inspection of the premises is not possible. Our club has proposed the idea of having the office virtually inspected by the relevant Thai government agencies as part of the application process, but since there has been no precedent for it, we await response.
The temporary closing of the Royal Peninsula Hotel also means that we have to temporarily conduct our meetings elsewhere. Until further notice, club meetings will take place at the Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel. This new hotel space is located directly next to the Kad Suan Kaew Mall. Please reach out to club leadership if you have any further questions about our temporary change in meeting space.
In March, the Food Initiative continued. The need for food supplementation in Chiang Mai province is not diminishing and the need is rising in the world. CMIRC continues to supplement people in unfortunate circumstances, contributing food valued at 61,480 THB and donating 32 hours of volunteer time for the month.
The Human Rights Development Foundation continues to work with CMIRC, in March delivering 200 bags, each filled with 2 kg of rice, 3 cans of fish, 6 packages of noodles, oil, fish oil, milk, and sanitary napkins. The deliveries this month went to Chiang Dao and San Kamphaeng migrant worker camps.
The dedicated staff at Urban Light’s community center for boys at risk of exploitation www.urban-light.org continues to provide community support. CMIRC is providing only non-perishable food items to the community center as requested.
Many thanks to all the people who are so generous with time and money. The need is great and the generosity is deeply appreciated.
It has been a little over two years since Chiang Mai International Rotary Club interacted with BEAM Education Foundation in cultural sharing. The impact of Covid has changed so many lives, yet BEAM has overcome the new challenges and, in fact, expanded their education program. Well done!!
A milestone has been achieved in the use of the online app “Zoom” using innovative tools such as break out rooms and many other features of this online application. Learning new tricks is exciting.
On 21 March 2022 CMIRC members, together with the BEAM team held the first of an eight week program of online cultural sharing in English.
BEAM students and CMIRC members are assigned a breakout room which comprises of two to four students, a CMIRC member and topics that are set in advance so all parties can prepare. The objective is to help students practice in speaking day-to-day conversational English.
The classes are divided into two groups: a morning and evening, of one hour sessions.
The CMIRC team:
Roger Lindley
John Schorr
Bill Trempus
Colin Jarvis
Myrna Muyana
Gordana Nardini
Gary Herman
Nick Dale
Comments from Team Member Roger:
After two years of Covid-19 restrictions, it is great to see the young faces of the BEAM students on the ZOOM screen with the new on-line BEAM Conversation Partners Program. This gives us the opportunity to learn from each other's life experiences and cultures while speaking English together.
Comments from Team Member Nick:
To be interacting with these students face-to-face even if it’s online is FUN (#5 in the "Rotary Things We Think, Say, and Do) and rewarding. As with years gone by, these students are filled with desire, energy, passion to learn, and improve their lives with the goal of one day being able help their communities.
This month we made two supply drops to the Burma Children Medical Fund's B.K. Kee Patient House delivering our normal donations of hygiene supplies and supplementary snacks. We brought employee Klao some information for ordering a new white board from Office Mate that he has already acted upon. It fits the budget we had allocated, and the company delivers and assembles (for a nominal additional fee) so we’re hopeful that they will have a new whiteboard to aid in delivering instruction very soon. I inquired about the bathroom door replacement and Klao is still having a difficult time getting the crew he usually uses for jobs such as this one to find time to come out and measure and provide a final bid. We will follow up.
As stated in last month’s bulletin story, the house seemed to be returning to some normalcy with new patients and caregivers arriving, but while that is indeed nice to see, the other normal part of the process is for folks to leave. We had the opportunity to say goodbye to some very familiar faces, two mother and daughter teams who had been at the house for a very long time. One pair (mother, Yin New Oo and daughter, Soe Yue New) had been there over two years. Soe Yue New had been the youngest patient at the house for quite some time, so it was a bittersweet visit, and we certainly hope they have a safe and joyful trip back to their home villages to be reunited with other family members and friends. The last thing that Soe Yue New said to us in perfect English was “Thank you very much for everything!!”
Intern update- Intern Diana moved into the Patient House and will stay there through the remainder of the summer break, March/April in Thailand.
This has been helpful for Klao in that it has helped to relieve some of his workload. Diana also recently submitted her semester report, grades, grant letter and internship agreement as well as the tuition fee receipt for her first semester.
At this time, we are still doing supply deliveries and are forgoing sustained visits due to Covid and because some patients have suppressed immune systems.
Unfortunately, the schools where we conduct our CWSDPP remain closed due to Covid-19. Since we are a school-based program, we have not been able to teach survival swimming and water safety this month, but there is still much to report for March.
It now appears that we will be able to restart our programs in Chiang Mai and Phrao when the new school year begins in May. Our swim instructor teams and facilities in Chiang Mai and Phrao are ready to teach survival swimming and water safety when the schools reopen! If our program donors continue their generous support this year we will have sufficient funding so that the 4th grade students who missed the program this past school year can be included in next year’s program. This will essentially double the size of our programs in Chiang Mai and in Phrao, since we will be teaching all new 4th-graders at our schools AND all 5th-graders who missed the program last year due to Covid-related school closures. So, it will be a busy year!!
In order to prepare for the next school year our CMIRC CWSDPP team met with the Chiang Mai Municipal Schools Directors of Education and Administration to discuss this year’s plans for our programs. Both directors are new to Chiang Mai this year, so it was an important information sharing meeting. Thank you to Khun Pomme at Bronco Kids Sport Club (pictured, below, in the striped brown shirt) for organizing and hosting the meeting.
Finally, we’d like to take this opportunity to recognize the generous support of our partners, sponsors and donors, so below is a list of these generous organizations!! This year we want to especially thank them for their patience as we have faced so many delays.
Special thanks also to individual donors Richard Murray and an anonymous donor, and for the continued support from Ian Bushell. If you wish to help, please contact Project Champion John Schorr at johnkschorr@gmail.com for more information.
CMIRC Member Volunteer Hours for the Month of March: Total: 30 (Chair - 15, Committee Members - 5 Volunteers - 10).
CMIRC Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Team and Sponsors:
We are making real progress in building a very professional team for our CMIRC School Vision Screening Project! But, unfortunately, due to the continued resurgence of Covid-19 in Chiang Mai, we faced delays in restarting the screenings this Rotary Year. We are now planning to resume our school-based screenings during the 2022-2023 school year. We hope to screen all 3rd and 5th graders at the eleven municipal schools and the Wat Suan Dok School in partnership with Optician Khun One at Chom Jun Optic, and in consultation with Ophthalmologist Dr. Nickie at Saint Peter Eye Hospital for problems of strabismus and amblyopia (crossed eyes and lazy eye), and, if pediatric ophthalmological surgery is needed, the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai North’s Eye Service Foundation. We will continue to rely upon the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai Wattana for volunteer assistance and for coordinating a screening program at the Wat Suan Dok School.
The new school year begins in May, but we feel it best to wait to start the screening until the year is well underway. So, we plan to train our volunteers in July and begin the screenings in August. We hope to have one screening per week for a period of twelve weeks, so that all eleven municipal schools and the Wat Suan Dok School can be screened before the end of December.
Our CMIRC SVSP recently had the opportunity to meet with the new Directors of Education and Administration at the Chiang Mai Municipal Schools. CMIRC Honorary Member and SVSP co-chair Phijitra Schorr (pictured, below, in the white blouse, gesturing with her left hand) had the opportunity to explain the SVSP program to these new administrators and there were assurances of full support.
Good news about future funding for the CMIRC SVSP, Fred Peck our good friend at the Rotary Club Spokane 21 has informed me that his club is making progress seeking a Rotary District 5080 Grant for our SVSP!! The final budget request will exceed US$ 5,000, and will allow us to examine and treat younger children (K-2nd-grade) with strabismus and amblyopia where early intervention is critical.
Once again, we’d like to take this opportunity to recognize the generous support of our partners, sponsors and donors, so here is a list of these generous organizations, beginning with the Rotary Club of Spokane 21 whose donation of $2,500 this past year will be rolled over to fund about 50% of our standard program next year !! THANK YOU ROTARY CLUB of SPOKANE 21!!! If you wish to learn how you can help, please contact Project Champion John Schorr at johnkschorr@gmail.com or tel.: 66 (0)8 5030 2143, US Skype # 386 490-8100 or co-chair Phijitra Schorr, phijitraschorr@gmail.com ไทย if you’d like to volunteer and be trained to help with screening.
CMIRC Member Volunteer Hours for the Month of March, 2022: 25 hours (Co-Chairs - 10, Committee Members - 5, Volunteers - 10).
As new patients arrive at the Burma Children Medical Fund's B. K. Kee house and in Mae Sot Clinic they are given a ready-for-duty teddy, packed in a bag along with pictures painted by current and past patients at the B.K.Kee House, thanks to generous cash donations from CMIRC members and friends so we can purchase the teddies locally.
A teddy's role is very diverse, none more so than in the Netherlands. All police cars in the Netherlands come equipped with a teddy bear. That's in case something troubling happens to a child and the police officer has to calm the child.
The reason behind the Dutch police keeping teddy bears in their car:
It is observed that in the Netherlands, the cops keep teddy bears in the car as one of their important pieces of equipment. As per their system, this teddy bear is obligatory to be provided to children experiencing difficult times due to accidents of their loved ones. These toys named ‘trauma bears’ are implemented to aid in relieving children in suffering, which for sure does wonders. Moreover, having noticed this as a trend, police systems of other countries have also started such a gesture to help serving better even in emergency conditions.
Incidents that brought attention to the need:
A few years back, some officers of the Dutch police were trying to calm down two young children, who were sitting in a vehicle that been involved in an accident. Although all their family members were fine, the kids were badly scared and became quiet and relaxed when the teddy bears were offered to them by the officers. Along with the smart move of officers, this accident helped to start a new way out under such traumatic situations.
Another incident, in a different region was when a child was present at the site of the mishap. The officer present at that time grabbed a teddy toy from the car and rushed to the boy sitting there to make him feel relaxed while other officers carried out the rescue operation. Everyone was shocked when the crying baby started talking to the teddy and became calm quickly.
The history behind this action:
The thought of keeping the toy teddy bears to comfort kids in official vehicles was started back in 1969 for both police and firefighters. James Theodore Ownby, a radio pioneer along with Colonel Robert Henderson and Colonel Robert Henderson put forward this idea together to help out the safety system to get the situation under control, in case the children were involved in any casualties.
To spread happiness, love, and care, an organization named “Good Bears Of The World” was also initiated by them all together where the children and the elder persons can get comfort by playing with the stuffed teddy toy. It was the first association that provide teddies to police departments free of cost during the 1980s. Moreover, this union distributed several thousand teddies to the needy ones
Maternal and child care is one of Rotary’s main causes. Rotary makes health care available to vulnerable mothers and children so they can live longer and grow stronger.
It is estimated that close to six million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation, all of which could be prevented. Rotary clubs and districts dedicate their efforts to improve access to quality care so that mothers and children can have long-serving opportunities for a healthy future. Projects to support mothers and children include mobile prenatal clinics, cancer screening, immunizations, and training on how to protect themselves and their children from disease.
Several projects highlight innovative solutions that provide health care to mothers and children:
· Nigeria averages only one physician for every 2,500 people and creative solutions are needed to expand health care reach. Read about how innovative integration of telehealth medicine have helped those living in rural Nigeria.
· Brazil has experienced high infant mortality rates and several Rotary clubs partnered together to provide solutions. Read about how a Rotary club partnership led to an increase in resources for incubators and access to neonatal intensive care units at the Dr. Leopoldo Bevilacqua Regional Hospital in Brazil’s Ribeira Valley.
Throughout April, Maternal and Child Health Month, help us support this main Rotary cause. You can get involved in the following ways:
See how Rotary and Rotaract clubs are bringing health care and more to mothers and children over the world in Rotary Showcase and post about your club’s successes. Showcase also helps you find an international project to support.
CMIRC members were not able to have their regular every other Sunday morning visits to the patients and their families at Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) 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. The Patient House remains closed to visitors during the upsurge in Covid-19 cases in Chiang Mai. Basic supplies are dropped off there every other Sunday.
Chiang Mai Expats Club breakfasts, where we promote CMIRC and swap "Change for Children" owl banks, were cancelled at The Duke’s due to low participation levels.
Rotarians Nicha and Bill T. championed the distribution of survival packages of rice and essential dry food items to people in need in Chiang Mai area.
Tuesday, March 1, the first Tuesday of the month regular CMIRC meeting occurred in person via hybrid meeting at the Royal Peninsula Hotel. At this meeting the program was presented by James Leyson from SOS Thailand on the topic “Chiang Mai Food Waste: A Solution Ahead!”.
Thursday, March 3, meeting in afternoon at Bronco Kids Sports Club of the Children's Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Team to discuss with representative from the Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin the possible adoption of the program in Hua Hin.
Friday, March 4, the Chiang Mai Expats Club (CEC) breakfast was held at The Dukes at Maya Mall, where we promoted CMIRC and swap "Change for Children" owl banks. Subsequent breakfasts were cancelled by CEC/Duke's due to low attendance.
Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6, PETS/DDTS in Lampang via ZOOM attended by PE Viki.
Wednesday, March 9, we had our 9@9 ZOOM meeting to stay in touch with our club members wherever they may be in the world.
Tuesday, March 15, a Service Project Committee meeting at the Royal Peninsula Hotel.
Tuesday, March 15, CMIRC third Tuesday of the month meeting. The program was presented by Matthew Jenkins of the Karen Hilltribes Trust (KHT) on the topic "Combining Evidence-based Research and Participatory Methods to the KHT Access to Education Programme". More about KHT here: https://karenhilltribes.org.uk/
Monday, March 21, the first ZOOM online meeting of the CMIRC x BEAM Conversation Partners Program 2022. Morning session with CMIRC partners Rtns Colin, Roger, Nick and Gary. Evening session with CMIRC partners Rtns Myrna, Bill T, Nick, Gordana and John. Topic: “What does your country look like?”
Monday, March 21, Meeting of CMIRC Children's Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Program (CWS&DPP) team at Bronco Kids Sport Club with tessaban school officials to discuss re-starting the CWS&DPP program for current 4th graders and current 5th graders who could not participate last year as 4th graders due to school closures for Covid-19. In addition, discussions regarding resuming the Children's School Vision Screening Program for 3rd and 5th graders in local tessaban schools.
Tuesday, March 22, the monthly CMIRC Board meeting at the CH Hotel.
Monday, March 28, the second ZOOM online meeting of the CMIRC x BEAM Conversation Partners Program 2022. Morning session with CMIRC partners Rtns Colin, Nick and Gary. Evening session with CMIRC partners Rtns Myrna, Bill T, Nick, Gordana and John. Topic: “A typical day in my country”
Tuesday, March 29, a Fundraising Committee meeting via ZOOM.
The needed protection measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the cancellation of many events. We have resumed in-person meetings at the Chiang Mai Orchid Hotelthrough the end of June, but 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 has been put on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions. Interested for the future? Contact Rotarian Bill Pierce.
4 April 2022 CMIRC Club Meeting Meeting, 7 pm., at the Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel. The program will be presented by Victoria Vorreiter of Tribal Music Asia on the topic: “May the Circle Be Unbroken – The Importance of Preserving and Sustaining Intangible Heritage”. More about Tribal Music Asia here:https://www.tribalmusicasia.com. Masks, social distancing, ATK testing on the day of the meeting and submission of vaccination records to the club secretary are required. If interested in bringing guests or if more information is needed, please contact secretary@cmirotary.org.
9 April 2022 CMIRC "9 at 9" 9 pm Thai time. A ZOOM social meeting for members in and out of Thailand. Contact president@cmirotary.org
15 April 2022 Raphael's birthday.
19 April 2022 Service Project Committee meeting, 4 pm at the Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel. Contact SPC Nick.
19 April 2022 CMIRC Club Meeting, 7 pm., at the Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel. The program will be presented by Rev. Dr. Narong Tongsuk of The Bible League Thailand on the topic “Sustainable Cocoa, Areca Palm & Bee Keeping in Agroforestry – An alternative for Small Scale Farming”. More about The Bible League Thailand here: https://thebibleleaguethailand.org/main/en/home/. Masks, social distancing, ATK testing on the day of the meeting and submission of vaccination records to the club secretary are required. If interested in bringing guests or if more information is needed, please contact secretary@cmirotary.org.
20 April 2022 John's birthday.
26 April 2022 CMIRC Board Meeting 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the condo of Roger & Nancy Lindley, Rm 1508 Nakorn Ping Condo Please self-administer an ATK test prior to the meeting, because social distancing will be difficult. Contact President@cmirotary.org
27 - 28 April 2022 Trip to visit the "Sustainable Cocoa, Areca Palm & Bee Keeping Agroforestry Demonstration Farm" in Takhi district, Nakhon Sawan province, supported by CMRIC's Ann Gfeller Clark Memorial Fund for Sustainable Agriculture in Thailand. The van will leave Chiang Mai early on April 27, with an overnight stay in Takhi district and return to Chiang Mai the evening of April 28. It's an easy 6 - 7 hour drive on nice roads with an overnight stay in a proper dwelling. No camping involved! Contactjohnkschorr@gmail.com
4 – 8 June 2022 - Rotary International Convention, Houston, Texas, USA
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. Note: The Royal Peninsula Hotel is temporarily closed through the end of June and CMIRC is now meeting at the Orchid Hotel.
Our sponsors donate money that supports our operational expenses, freeing funds for the projects we love. Please give them your support.
In March, the Food Initiative continued. The need for food supplementation in Chiang Mai province is not diminishing and the need is rising in the world. CMIRC continues to supplement people in unfortunate circumstances, contributing food valued at 61,480 THB and donating 32 hours of volunteer time for the month.
A teddy's role is very diverse, none more so than in the Netherlands. 
Maternal and child care is one of Rotary’s main causes. Rotary makes health care available to vulnerable mothers and children so they can live longer and grow stronger.
4 April 2022 CMIRC Club Meeting Meeting, 7 pm., at the 
