It’s hard to believe that we are half way through the Rotary Year! In a couple of days, we will have our annual meeting where the officers for Rotary Year 2018-2019 will be elected. As the only eligible candidate I’m looking forward to being elected to the esteemed position of “Immediate Past President” 2018-2019 😊 It also reminds me that this is a good time to reflect on what we have done and what needs to be done.
When I became president, I said that membership, membership, and membership would be my top three priorities. This is still true; only with our outstanding members do we accomplish the wonderful community service work that we are known for. We are looking for Chiang Mai residents who wish to give back to the community, good people from all walks of life. The experience of former Rotarians from other countries is sought. You should know that our emphasis is on service, meeting attendance requirements are much milder than in the past, dues are affordable, and we have built a team of people who truly enjoy what we do. Our members do amazing service work and understand that results are the main benefit of membership in CMIRC.
One of the best things about our club is the many service opportunities available to members, in fact it is a privilege of membership to be a part of these great projects. A very popular service project is at the BCMF B.K.Kee Patient House (See “Tooth Brushes, Tooth Paste, Facts and a Preview” )
Nalagay and Rotarian Maliwnan
While our service projects are designed to facilitate member involvement, there are some noted situations where their success would not be possible without the support of former Rotarians and other kind and generous people in our community. For example, this year’s Winter Clothing Appeal campaign would have been very difficult without the generosity and Rotary spirit of Peter Barlow.
Going forward, we hope to establish a Rotary Community Corps involving the 11 Tessaban schools of Chiang Mai where we will continue to support the students in the Thai public schools. We are also working to establish a community based Interact club. We will also be exploring further opportunities to work with the other Rotary Clubs in Chiang Mai. These efforts will require members who live by our Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”. If you are a Chiang Mai area resident, or soon may be and you are looking for an opportunity to give back to the community, please contact us. One of my very favorite things to do is have lunch with a prospective member. It that you?
Each year, past, present and incoming district and senior leaders attend Rotary Institutes around the world to share information, build connections, and exchange ideas about Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. The Institutes usually meet for three to five days, and the program includes:
· An update on The Rotary Foundation and its programs
· A report on our polio eradication efforts
· A five-year forecast presented by a Director or other Board representative
· An open forum where participants can make recommendations to the Board
· Local and international speakers sharing information on relevant topics
· A chance to network, reconnect with friends, and find inspiration for continuing your service and leadership in your community
· Entertainment and social outings
This year December 1st – 3rd,, a multi-Zone Institute was held in Taipei, Taiwan. Countries represented included: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, Taiwan, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. The programs were conducted in English, as is the norm for the Zone Institutes in this region.
November 28th – 30th, District Governors Elect and District Governors Nominee training seminars were held ahead of the Institute.
During the December 1st – 3rd sessions attendees had the opportunity to meet old friends and to make new ones. We heard from our Rotary International President Elect (RIPE) Barry Rassin on the challenges he faced when he agreed to be considered as RIPE following the unexpected death of RIPE Sam Owori.
Rotary International President Elect (RIPE) Barry Rassin
Several discussion points struck us during the sessions.
· This past Rotary Year Rotary International lost approximately 150,000 members. (we also gained members so that our total membership is flat, but why did we lose so many?)
· The big area for growth in membership in Rotary globally is in Asia.
· Only about 4% of Rotaract members become members of Rotary.
· It is goal of RIPE Barry to proactively and creatively pursue the movement of Rotaract members into active roles as members of Rotary Clubs.
· A program on polio eradication in Pakistan and Afghanistan brought a somber moment when hearing about women vaccination workers who were murdered by the Taliban. In one case the fourteen-year old sister of one of those killed insisted, even though too young to participate, that she wanted to help complete her sister’s efforts.
· In small-group sessions attendees had the opportunity to see information on Rotary Foundation funding and present questions to Rotary International Directors and RI staff.
The Institute was a sell-out this year. The registration had to be shut down at 1500 people. The hotel main hall could handle a maximum of 1200 and had to set an overflow area in the entry hallway. Great entertainment was presented by Rotarians and special performers. The Institute was opened with a heartfelt talk from the President of the Republic of China and the next day the Mayor of Taipei spoke. He is a familiar figure to the members of the 200 Rotary clubs in Taipei. Yes 200 clubs in one city! We asked one Taipei member how they can find enough service projects to stay busy and he pointed to the Mayor, saying “oh he finds many things for us to do”.
We have attended several Zone Institutes in the region and always found them valuable. It’s a great way to learn what Rotary is doing internationally, to get ideas of ways to improve our club, to gain motivation and to stay in five star hotels at three star prices. It’s a good idea to extend the visit by several days to take in local sight-seeing, too. You don’t have to be a district or senior leader, or on the path to becoming one to attend a Rotary Zone Institute. It’s a great experience for all Rotarians and their spouses.
The club raised more than 25,000 baht selling used clothing, electronics, and household items to eager bargain hunters at the November 25th event held outside of CMU’s Art Center. Members took turns haggling with buyers over the prices for goods as varied as wrist watches, hand bags, horror-movie posters, music CDs, summer dresses, and cameras.
Roger Lindley, Nancy Lindley, Shana Kongmun, and Imelda Tibbott get ready for the morning rush.
Because the fair began at 11 a.m. and didn’t end until after 9 p.m., much of the business came after 5 p.m., as shoppers emerged from home and work. Nancy Lindley Roger Lindley, Shana Kongmun, Imelda Tibbott, and Mike Lake helped set up the CMIRC tables and clothing racks. Friend of Rotary Sam Scott pitched in during the morning rush. Jerry Nelson, Christian Bollier, Bill Kipp, Geoff Perry, and Mike Gholson relieved the morning crew around 1 p.m., and they were joined by visiting Rotarian Alison Smith from the U.K. Last year the club raised a little more than 14,000 baht, so the 2017 Garden Fair sale was a great success.
Mike Lake made one of the final sales of the evening to a Thai Beatles fanatic
CMIRC and Chiang Mai Municipal Schools hosted a certificate ceremony for the 4th-graders in the 5 schools that have completed the CMIRC-Kru Payu Swim survival swim program so far this Rotary year. The event took place on Thursday, December 14 at 1:30pm at the Wat Sri Don Chai Municipal School.
The Students and the Medals
There was a total of 168 (89 boys, 79 girls) students at the five schools served thus far this Rotary year. Of those, a total of 119 (70%) students successfully completed the course, 71 boys, 80%, 48 girls, 61%.
Of those completing the course, 115 (97%) passed all survival swimming competencies, or 68% of all 4th graders in the 5 schools. All program completers received a certificate and a Rotary-themed medal in recognition of their accomplishment. The CMIRC-Kru Payu Swim program is currently training students at two additional municipal schools and by the end of the Rotary year in June, all 4th-grade students at all eleven municipal schools will have had the opportunity to learn survival swimming and water safety. This will be the second year that the CMIRC-Kru Payu Swim Program has trained 4th-graders at all eleven municipal schools. CMIRC plans to continue this program, so that soon all municipal elementary school graduates in Chiang Mai will have had the opportunity to participate in our survival swimming and water safety course.
One class and the good people who made it possible
The warm clothes collection in Chiang Mai was remarkably successful. In particular the donations from local people at the Tessabaan and Rim Ping Stores were marvelous.
Two pickup trucks and one SUV were loaded on Friday afternoon [10th Nov] and at 0700 promptly the next day the little convoy drove the 180 kms of challenging mountain driving to Piang Luang, hard up against the Thai / Burma border in the North of Chiang Mai Province.
My daughter Pang drove the lead truck while my friend Mdm. Nat L’houmeau drove the second truck, with CMIRC’s Mike Lake in the third vehicle. Mike’s wife Sunee and friend of Rotary Gaynor Foletti came along for the beautiful drive.
The journey took 4 hours and we met Khun Yulinda from the Sweet Home Orphanage upon our arrival in Piang Luang. She took us to meet Khun Sai Leng, the leader of the nearby Shan refugee camp that has 400 residents. We off-loaded the bags of clothes, opened a selection and let the locals help themselves. There were only children present as the residents all work locally during the day. The children appeared delighted with the choices available. The contents of the bags were remarkable in their variety: there were many new clothes, woolen hats, scarves and gloves, and other very good quality items.
Khun Yulinda had laid on lunch at her orphanage, which was started by her grandmother in 1987. We had a tour of the school. It was very well set up with a classroom, a student workshop, a hot house garden, and clean bathrooms. K. Yulinda received clothes for her 17 children. Later K. Sai Leng allocated about 12 other unopened bags of clothes to two local villages, where he said there was a real need. These were given to the Head Ladies and all was done by 2 p.m., when we began the return journey to Chiang Mai.
Saying “thank you” at the Shan refugee camp near Piang Luang. The camp houses about 400 Shan villagers.
One of the kids at the Sweet Home Orphanage in Piang Luang returns to her room with an armful of goodies.
Arriving in the Piang Luang Shan refugee camp. Pictured are camp leader Sai Leng (lt),
good friend of Rotary Peter Barlow (ctr), and Peter’s friend Mdm Nat L’houmeau (rt)
Shan refugee camp children say “hooray” for the donations from the kind people of Chiang Mai.
In late November BCMF founder Kanchana Thornton delivered more than 150 CMIRC-donated tooth brushes and tubes of tooth paste to villagers in Karen State, eastern Burma. Residents from the villages Kanchana visited often make their way to Mae Sot, Thailand for medical treatment at the Mae Tao Clinic, and some of them even find their way to Chiang Mai and the Baan K. Kee Patient House. CMIRC has helped support the Patient House with donations of food, toiletries, site repairs, and renovations for nearly two years.
Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste and more!
A short List of things we have done, and why !
CMIRC has been helping patients and caretakers at the BCMF Baan K. Kee Patient House since January of 2016. Our members make weekly visits to the house to donate food, toiletries, and clothing, and to engage the residents with activities & games. Our larger projects over the past two years have included:
Replacement of the sliding security gate in front of the house.
Repairing and painting the damaged storage room ceiling.
Placing steel grates over exposed drainage ditches (a real safety hazard).
Repairing the crumbling front wall (which was also a safety hazard).
Arranging for placement of a traditional Thai sala in the front courtyard.
Placing a concrete table, benches and large umbrella in the back courtyard for male patient use (former members Tom and Cindy Johnson lead this project).
Converting a bedroom into a library/activity room.
Future projects include:
Renovating the outdoor latrine.
Erecting a simple sink beside the latrine for hand washing.
Placing more grates over exposed drainage ditches.
Painting the front wall with the BCMF logo.
Continuing with a wall mural that was started before we became active with the house.
CMIRC’s Imelda Tibbott has attended women’s health workshops at the house and has suggested ways for CMIRC to continue with health education, and news member Linda Photenhauer has already started informal English language lessons. We are always trying to create opportunities for members to participate in this project, so if you have an idea, let us know.
A Tiny Bit of Christmas Spirit in the B.K.Kee Patient House in a Mostly Buddist World on 16 December 2017
Happy people, what a great day!
Story to follow next month, but we just had to share the smiles as a preview!
On 3rd of March 2018 we will be having our Golf Ball Drop fundraiser in association with the Thailand International Balloon Festival. This is a major fundraiser for our club and funds raised go exclusively to supporting our many local projects associated with children's health, safety and education.
We have developed an info sheet (see below) to help with the sales effort.
The past two events each raised about 135,000 Baht to support our projects. This year we hope, through all of our dedicated group efforts, to raise more than 200,000 Baht.
We have significantly expanded our projects over the past several years and consequently need to raise more funds to support our good efforts in our community.
We will be talking more about the fundraiser during the coming months.
Go forth and sell!
Regards in Rotary Service,
Roger and Nancy Lindley
Fundraiser Co-champions
2018 CMIRC Golf Ball Drop Information Points
This is a major fundraiser for CMIRC with all proceeds being used to fund the club’s projects for children’s health, safety and education.
The event is in conjunction with the Thailand International Balloon Festival.
Big balloons fly in the early morning, while big and small balloons are tethered and fly about 100 feet high for evening “Night Glows” when visitors can enjoy food from major hotels and restaurants, children’s games, live music and browse the many craft items for sale.
Golf ball price is 1000 Baht each. No more than 300 golf balls will be sold.
Numbered golf balls will be dropped from a tethered balloon at sunset on the second evening of the Festival, Saturday, March 3rd.
Three cash prizes awarded for the three numbered balls landing closest to the hole -- 30,000 Baht ($US940), 10,000 Baht ($US310) and 5,000 Baht ($US155).
The winner does not have to be present to win.
Worst case odds scenario is 1 chance in 100 of being one of three winners – assuming all 300 balls are sold.
Holders of GBD tickets will receive free entry to the Festival the evening of March 3rd.
Tickets can be sold internationally to friends and Rotarians. Ticket price is $US 32.00
Payment can be made by: cash payment, bank transfer to Rotary’s account or by Paypal payment to cmircpaypal@cmirotary.org
The event this year is at the Cowboy Army Riding Club on Saturday 3rd of March at sunset. Map to event at www.cmirotary.org.
Further information on reserving a golf ball contact: a member of CMIRC, email GBD@cmirotary.org or call 094-856-3011.
CMIRC Rotarians need to sell in order to support our children’s projects. Get your Golf Ball Drop tickets from Nancy Lindley who is maintaining the sales data base. Return cash received and filled in ticket stubs to Treasurer John Schorr promptly after making a sale.
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