Monday, 12 August, the birthday of Thailand's Queen Mother is Thailand's Mother's Day. So, August is the month where mothers in Thailand receive "dok mali" flowers (sweet smelling white jasmine) from their children and traditionally enjoy a nice meal, either in a family home or a fancy restaurant. And take pity on the hapless group of foreigners who forget that Monday, 12 August is a very special dining day as they stumble into a favorite Chiang Mai lunch buffet and discover it has been turned into an upscale dining experience at three times the normal price -- just for that day.
Meanwhile, we've been helping mothers and children throughout northern Thailand all year. Please take some time to read about our many service projects, 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.
I have been a Rotarian since 1985, almost 35 years. The world has changed a great deal in that time and Rotary has had to change with it. Rotary never ceases to amaze and enchant me.
A simple example would be our first meeting of the new Rotary year. Many clubs sent some of their members to celebrate. Some clubs sent one member, others a handful but however many were there goodwill and warm hearts filled the room. It was a delightful reminder of the fellowship that can be had by being a member of Rotary. Not only that, it was a bit like Christmas as all members seemed to bring a small gift to enhance the occasion. I would like to thank all the members from other clubs who attended our first meeting as it made the event one to remember forever.
Another meeting that was full of fellowship was this month’s social night which we always hold on the fifth Tuesday of any month, if one exists. It is wonderful to meet the young members from our affiliated Rotaract Club of Payup University. (I'm pictured, right, along with Rtn. Nancy, chatting with some of the Rotaractors.) Their youth and energy are to be expected but their maturity, sense of duty and performance is outstanding. If these are the people who will shortly be running the world then the world is in good hands.
It was also good to see a number of potential new members arrive to see what Rotarians are like in the flesh. I am frequently surprised by the desire to help others that is exhibited by, sometimes, the most unlikely people. People from many different walks of life and many different ages and life experiences come together with one common aim which is to find ways of helping the society in which they live and from which they feel they have received so much.
Thursday, 31 July was a very special day. As you may know, the most common cause of death amongst children under the age of fifteen is drowning. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, too few people know how to swim and get out of trouble should they fall into water. Secondly children do not know what to do in the event of such an accident. If there are three children, and one falls into a river, the chances are the other two will jump in to try to rescue their friend. They probably cannot swim either and panic can set in sealing the fate of all of them.
Some years ago, John Schorr, started a programme to teach disadvantaged children how to survive should they fall into water. This activity has trained over 1,500 children in Chiang Mai alone. The scheme is now expanding, through other Rotary clubs and every year more children, in more places are given life-saving training. You can read more about this programme on our website. So why was Thursday, 31 July so special? Quite simply it is when the annual ceremony was run to present all the children who passed the training successfully, this year, with a certificate that celebrates their new-found skill (below).
I feel that John Schorr, his supporters and those who deliver the training deserve the thanks of many young children and their parents.
This programme shows what can be achieved by a little effort and imagination and is just one of many, many thousands of worthwhile projects run by Rotarians throughout the world.
July has been a busy month for the CMIRC Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program; school is in session, so we have programs going in several locations.
Australian Direct Aid Program Grant We just learned that the Australian Embassy Staff will be visiting Chiang Mai on August 9 and 10, so we are busy planning a certificate ceremony in Phrao for the 128 children from the Ban Chaeng Khu Ruang Municipal School (ร.ร.บ้านแจ่งกู่เรือง) who completed the survival swimming and water safety course in Phrao this year. The ceremony will take place on Friday, August 9 at around 3pm. The Phrao program was funded this year by the Australian Direct Aid Grant Program. We learned that in addition to the visiting Australian Embassy staff, Ron Elliott the Australian Honorary Consul here in Chiang Mai, will also be able to attend the ceremony on the 9th.
The final swim course for this Australian Direct Aid Grant will be at the BanYa Migrant Learning Centre in Phuket in late August.
Phetchabun We are happy to report that with the help of the Safe Child Thailand Foundation and the Rotary Clubs of Lom Sak and Phetchabun Muang, 58 children have completed our survival swimming and water safety course. We hope to continue to work with the Rotary Clubs in Phetchabun Province to expand and improve this program this coming year.
Patong Beach The Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RCoPB) Larry Amsden Swim Safe Programme, under the leadership of program chair, Johan Storck, is continuing the program with the Ban Sai Nam Yen School this year, with approximately one-hundred 4th-graders. Final plans are in place for 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. Lead teacher Gob and Rotary Club of Patong Beach Past President Karen are also actively involved in the planning.
British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy program in Phrao
We have received the funds donated by the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy (BCTFN) and we are ready to start swim programs for 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. In Phrao, we organize the survival swimming and water safety courses with our partner organization, the Warm Heart Foundation.
Chiang Mai, CMIRC-Sponsored Program
Courses for the 2019-2020 Rotary Year continue, we have already taught nearly 100 4th-graders in 3 of the 11 municipal schools we sponsor. All 11 will be completed before the school break in March.
Finally, the Swiss Lanna Society donated the proceeds from the tombola raffle at their Swiss National Day Event on August 1st to our Children’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program in Chiang Mai. The ticket and raffle sales were brisk and they raised an amazing 100,000 baht at the event, enough to sponsor 5 of our 11 Chiang Mai municipal schools this year. This was a wonderful event, with food and music, and entertainment. All nationalities were welcome at the Equestrian Skill Center Chiang Mai. We very much appreciate the support of the Swiss community in Chiang Mai.
Ring, Ring that bell; a new semester has begun at BEAM Education Foundation (Bridging Education Access for Migrants). The excitement is high amongst all students as are their nerves and trepidation of the new adventure.
This is a big new forward step, alas not on the moon, in achieving their goal of entrance into an English language university. In some ways its like going out on a first date. Do you remember your first date…. (I do and she was beautiful, my feet never touched the ground with nerves on edge -- what have I done, did I made a mistake, what to wear, will I be liked, do we have anything in common, do I fit in, how good is everybody’s English, am I out of my depth, fears of misgivings we have all gone through in life). But there are other concerns with the BEAM students: can I survive, even complete this year, do I have enough money, can I keep my job, can I work and still make all classes, do I have clean clothes and do I have enough clothes, oh no its raining I have no dry clothes, not uncommon to us all, with all the issues you can see some amazing colorful dress in classes, combinations and hairstyles as true reflection of their desire -- Education.
From a class topic came the word “Unite” what does it mean? In what started as a slow response, discussion became highly vocal, everyone was awake, cell phones abandoned, exciting, full of sharing together with deep thoughts.
The question for sixteen students was: if we were all at sea in one life boat with an objective to find land or perish, could we all unite, be united in support of the common goal? Wow blank faces, puzzlement,then there were screams of togetherness, yes we can, then there was a, No, in the tone of “Luke I am your father” silence fell,,, Then one student remarked, typical of him, he is greedy, silence returned, then slowly topics of ethnic, regional, religious differences and tolerances were openly discussed and it raised a lot of questions. What brings and divides unity, in their search for answers, solutions I could experience young minds at work, they were having fun, were passionate in sharing, talking openly about differences, opinions without passing judgment. Exciting!!
Oh as to the lifeboat: we decided to throw overboard the student who said he was greedy; we felt he would cause division.
Thus ended a good session for practice of English conversation and critical thinking.
From the BEAM Facebook: BEAM Education Foundation supports Burmese migrants and marginalized youths to earn their high school diplomas and apply to university. We and our generous partners are already supporting 34 students in their living and schooling costs for this academic year (2019-20), but we are short on exam funding for 18 students. We'd like to seek your assistance to help 18 marginalized youths finish high school. Thank you for your great support. You can contribute via Global Giving.
I am Rotarian Maliwan Kaew-Amphai, the new Project Champion for the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) Project. For now all of our effort is at the BCMF B.K.Kee Patient House in Chiang Mai. All of the patients have serious medical situations like heart disease, cancer or a birth defect. Our purpose is to bring the patients and their family love and respect and make their lives more comfortable. You may email bcmfproject@cmirotary.org for any question or suggestion.
We visit the house most Sundays, usually meeting at pump Shell (the Shell petrol station) on Huay Kaew Road at 11:00 a.m. Sometimes, the time may vary, even the day. CMIRC members and future members are invited to attend. We try to have about four people go each time. All members of CMIRC have already signed the Child Protection Policy. Visitors are required to sign the same document. It is available at https://cmirotary.org/page/cmir-policy and I will have copies available.
With each visit, we do an activity. In July, the patients and family members finished a project to make pencil bags to go to poor schools in Burma. We made sandwiches one Sunday and had a drawing activity the next. Turns out many of the Burmese patients and families had never made sandwiches before and liked them very much. We may have a plan to make banana bread soon.
In the future there is a plan to involve Interact Club members in a painting project.
On Wednesday the 24 July, eight of us shared a van to go see the Mae Tao Clinic and collaborative neighbors. We believe this is the ideal way to visit Mae Tao from Chiang Mai. This month we had a very special treat: We were invited to the home of Past District Governor Anuwat Puvaseth in Lampang for coffee and to pick up six boxes of children’s clothing and toys. PDG Anuwat also presented me with a donation to the 100,000 THB in 100 days campaign for Mae Tao Clinic. Thank you so much! The group is pictured with PDG Anuwat, third from the left.
The first stop on this tour was the Hway Ka Lot Migrant Learning Center, supported by Mae Tao Clinic. The clothing and toys were left there where they will be distributed to the neediest children. There are 123 students at this center, grades 1 through 8.
That afternoon we received a tour of the Mae Tao Clinic and briefings from at the Mae Tao Clinic from both the fundraising and the Child Protection Department. The Mae Tao Clinic provides a day care center for their staff, a very good idea! Then, we visited the Burma Children’s Medical Fund (they are the parent organization for the BCMF B.K.Kee house in Chiang Mai).
Friday morning, we met with the Committee for the Protection and Promotion of Child Rights (CPPCR) where we learned about the child protection network and how they interact with both Thai and Burmese authorities. Approximately 1,300 documented cases have been dealt with since they began in 2010. The issue of child beggars continues be a challenge. All this author can do is advise you to not give to child beggars at the border.
Also, we met with the Ethnic Health System Strengthening Group (EHSSG). There are nine organizations in this group, including the Mae Tao Clinic and they are developing health care standards and policy. There are some 296 service sites with a target population of 836,000 people.
After lunch we visited Mao Tao Clinic’s Child Development Center, received a briefing and met with the pre-GED class. CDC currently has a total enrollment of 836 students. This year’s pre-GED class has 15 students. From here they will go on to take the American GED and hopefully be able to attend university. These young people are motivated to learn and to make a difference. The biggest challenge will be finding funding for their university education. Details about the CDC are well written and available at www.maetaoclinic.orgBelow is our tour group with students from the CDC.
Our next tour is scheduled for 17 – 18 October 2019. We will organize a group to share a van from Chiang Mai departing on Wednesday, 16 October. People coming from other locations will meet us in Mae Sot. Details will be forthcoming in the September and October bulletins.
Raising the Bar!
CMIRC is humbled, grateful and proud to announce that as of 1 August 2019, 62 days into the 100 day campaign we have exceeded our goal by raising 147,000 THB! Now it's time to raise the bar! The Campaign is re-designated as 200,000 THB in 100 days! As of today, we are 73.5% to our goal. With your love, respect and generosity we can make it! On 8 September 2019, this campaign will close.
Can we reach 200,000 in the next 30+ days? It’s totally up to you, the generous and caring people who love and support the Mae Tao Clinic. While the Mae Tao Clinic Campaign has been successful there are still critical shortages in the Child Development Center and the Child Protection Department.
Forgive me for being pushy. The truth is that we are trying to use every means available to reach as many kind and generous people as we can so there is a better than fair chance that this may not be the first time you have seen this appeal. This is a critical attempt on behalf of a small Rotary Club to help a desperate situation affecting the lives of many children. Please do two things:
a. Donate any amount with which you are comfortable. If you have already donated, thank you! You have given your fair share. If you haven’t made a donation yet, and can do so, now is the time!
b. Pass this on to your kind and generous friends, colleagues and family members.
The Child Protection Department and Child Development Center at Mae Tao Clinic urgently need our help with funding. Money raised will go to supplement teachers’ stipends, support the dry food program, help with security at the boarding houses and more. Please know that 100% of the money donated goes to Mae Tao Clinic and is earmarked for the Child Protection Department / Child Development Center.
You can read their appeal and get a better understanding of their situation here: https://maetaoclinic.org/
The proceeds from this campaign will go the Mae Tao Clinic Child Protection Department and Child Development Center where they will provide food, pay for birth registration, fund child protection training and monitor and improve student health through the school health program. Money is desperately needed and will be well spent
2. Make a bank transfer to the Bangkok Bank account used by CMIRC, held in the name of the club treasurer and past president (since local banking regulations don't permit a "club" to have an account in the club name). Name of account: Mrs. Nancy Long Lindley and Mr. John Keatley Schorr, Account Number: 531-090222-5, Routing Number (for ACH transfers): 026008691 SWIFT code (for wire transfers): BKKBTHBK
3. If you are in Chiang Mai, you can simply hand me the cash and I will make sure it gets routed through CMIRC and given to Mae Tao Clinic.
4. For people who pay income tax in Australia, The United Kingdom, The United States or Japan you may make a tax-deductible contribution to Mae Tao Clinic through one of their partner organizations. See Mae Tao Clinic Donation Page
Please take a moment and send a quick email to mtc@cmirotary.org letting us know where you donated. Also please share this with your kind and generous friends!
Posted by President Dylan Low & CMIRC Liason William Churchill on Aug 01, 2019
July saw limited activities for the Club as the members began to prepare for midterm exams and vacation.
The Club is currently drafting its bylaws as required by Rotary International. The expected completion date and submission to its sponsor Club is by the end of August.
The Club attended the official opening of the Payap University Center for Social Impact (CSI) on July 26th (pictured, right). The Club made contact with the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and other organizations at the opening event, and is looking into the possibility of a service project collaboration with one of the organizations and the CSI.
The Club is composed of university students age 18 to 30 and is considered a feeder Club for future Rotary members. As the sponsoring Rotary Club, CMIRC, primarily through its Liaison, monitors the activities of the Rotaract Club and may mentor members and provides general guidance and approval of activities as its continuing sponsor. Thus, contact and requests of the Rotaract Club is directed through the CMIRC Liaison. CMIRC and the District Rotaract representatives assist the Rotaract Club with training expenses to supplement the Club’s own fundraising revenues. The Club is poised to engage in future service to the local communities.
Chiang Mai International Rotary Club is planning a friendship exchange with the three Rotary clubs in Yangon (left to right, RC Yangon, RC Central Yangon and RC Greater Yangon).
Rotary in Myanmar has a long and varied history with the first Rotary establishment in Myanmar (Burma) from 1929 to 1974.
First Rotary Club in Myanmar - Thayetmo
Thayetmo received its charter with thirty-three members on September 30, 1939 with the happy motto "Under Heaven, One Family".
During the occupation of the country in World War II, all Rotary activity ceased and the Thayetmyo Club has never been re-opened.
Second Rotary Club - Rangoon
The Rangoon Club was inaugurated in September, 1929 with eighty-eight members, all British. "With so many going away on home leave (to Britain), it is important that clubs be started with as large a membership as possible."
Four other clubs were established: Mandalay, Moulmein (Mawlamyaing), Taunggyi and Insein.
Re-Establishment: Rotary Club of Yangon in May, 2014
Following negotiations with the government facilitated by longtime-Rotarian J.T. Warring, the Rotary Club of Yangon became a chartered club in 2014.
While Myanmar was declared polio-free in 2007, the re-emergence of a rare strain of the virus in 2011 was a harsh reminder of the need to be constantly vigilant. Obstacles to mass immunization in the country as a result of long-running conflicts make greater cooperation imperative.
Rotary International, WHO, CDC, UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – the Global Polio Eradication Initiative launched 30 years ago has helped to immunize more than 2.5 billion children and has resulted in a 99 percent drop in the number of infections worldwide.
Now, the Rotary clubs of Central Yangon, Greater Yangon and CMIRC look forward to discussions and future cooperation.
At the end of each meeting of CMIRC we have a raffle where the winner has a choice of several "valuable" prizes on display, donated by members. If the winner is lucky the prizes on offer may include a bottle of wine or spirits, an interesting book or a nice voucher to a good restaurant. Some prizes, such as those in the category of "home decor" and "local handicrafts" could be welcome by some winners, depending on their taste and aesthetic. But, there is always one prize that causes most contest entrants to groan -- the ever-present can of Spam.
Do you realize how rare Spam is in Thailand? Once, multiple varieties of Spam graced the shelves of food stores throughout the country, but as Thai tastes changed the manufacturer of the product decided not to offer Spam in the country. For a time last year, there was no Spam to be found in Thailand, but then, magically, a long lost shipping container was found on the docks in Laem Chabang and suddenly every food store in Thailand had Spam Hot & Spicy on its shelves. No matter that the expiration date was just a few months away in June 2019.
I purchased the two cans on offer at the convenience store in our condo building and contributed one to the CMIRC raffle prize stash, holding the second in reserve for a future CMIRC raffle. Somehow no one claimed it and soon the June expiration date arrived. I removed it, but at the next meeting found members reluctant to purchase raffle tickets (2 for 200 baht, or -- special deal -- 5 for 400 baht), claiming they'd lost interest in the raffle because the Spam was gone. So, I decided to return Spam to the raffle, knowing that it had been stored in ideal conditions and would be good long after the expiration date.
We've done much good with the raffle income over the years. Each quarter, the raffle income goes to a different recipient, with Rotary International Foundation's Polio Plus receiving income from raffle sales during the first quarter of the Rotary year. For the past two years, we've given the income from a quarter to support Nong Sa, a student residing at Warm Heart Foundation.
Each quarter, the raffle yields about 10,000 - 15,000 baht and is used to support local groups improving life for children and families and northern Thailand and Myanmar. Recipients have included: WE Women, Stratton ABC Foundation, Karen Women's Organization, Jen's House, Toys for Thailand for playground equipment, Mae Tao Clinic to fund GED expenses, and one month of transport for patients and families coming to the Burma Children Medical Fund's B.K.Kee Patient House in Chiang Mai from Mae Sot.
We've just embarked on a new Rotary year and the CMIRC Board is open to nominations for recipients for the raffle income of 2019-2020.
Meanwhile, if you plan to visit the club from overseas, consider bringing a can or two of Spam to donate to the raffle. A word of warning -- pack it in your checked luggage. A friend of Rotary tried to bring a can in his carry-on luggage and discovered that because it had a pull-top lid, it was considered a potential deadly weapon by TSA. Instead of giving it over to them, he opened the can of Spam and ate as much as he could handle before putting it in the trash.
At Leading Teams we work with our clients to help them build high performance teams – or great teams – and we are often asked, “What separates good teams from great teams?” The answer is simple – commitment.
In my early days at Leading Teams, a colleague explained the difference between involvement and commitment with a simple business fable, ‘the chicken and the pig’. To understand it, consider a plate of bacon and eggs. The chicken was involved, but the pig was committed.
Involved or committed? It’s the same thing when we come to talking about behavior in a team. Are we merely involved in the behavior – either observing it or acting it out – or are we committed to rewarding the good behavior or playing a role in rectifying it if is having a detrimental effect on our performance?
Behavior demonstrates commitment We believe commitment stems from leaders who are willing to set the standard and then hold both themselves and their team accountable to that standard.
Commitment also comes from our willingness to support each other to be the best we can be, both as individuals and as a collective.
Perhaps the most effective way to measure the commitment of both leaders and team members is to look at the way they behave. Behavior is the most trustworthy form of communication. I can tell you I’m committed, however, the way I act, or behave, is where the real proof lies. The saying, “Your actions speak so loudly in my ears I cannot hear a word you say” rings true. We trust behavior because it’s real – we can see it. Many organizations espouse corporate values, but the real test is whether the behavior in their organization actually aligns to these values. At Leading Teams, we believe that behavior drives performance.
Commitment is easy to measure with regular review. If I’m prepared to not only model this behavior, but engage in open dialogue that involves rewarding others for modelling this behavior, but also be prepared to challenge behavior that doesn’t align with our standards, then I can safely say that I am committed to playing a role in my team’s performance.
What to look for in a committed team
The chicken and the pig is a simple, but very effective, way to illustrate the difference between involvement and commitment. In the business world, the difference between the two can be the difference between a good team and a great team.
Commitment to building mutual trust and respect, and having open and honest dialogue won’t necessarily mean the team will encounter fewer issues, or find themselves free from pressure in the future. It will, however, give the team greater capacity to deal with these situations as they arise, and allow the team to resolve them in a more timely and productive way. This in turn leads to improved performance.
The characteristics of a committed team:
Mutual trust and respect
A clear and shared understanding of the behavior that leads to high performance
This is a month to think about membership. Learn about our current members but also to think about bringing in new members, such as our newest members Gordana and Aree, pictured right with PP John. Of all the obligations a person accepts when joining a Rotary Club, the one in which most Rotarians fall short is “sharing Rotary.” The policies of Rotary International clearly affirm that every individual Rotarian has an “obligation to share Rotary with others and to help extend Rotary through proposing qualified persons for Rotary club membership.” It is estimated that less than 30 percent of the members of most Rotary clubs have ever made the effort to propose a new member. Thus, in every club, there are many Rotarians who readily accept the pleasures of being a Rotarian without ever sharing that privilege with another qualified individual.
A personal observation here looking at our ClubRunner data for CMIRC active and former members: Presently we show nineteen (19) active members and fifty-seven (57) former members for a total of seventy-six (76) people. Of those seventy-six (76) people, three current members -- all charter members -- sponsored fifty-three (53) persons for membership.
The Rotary policy on club membership states: “In order for a Rotary club to be fully relevant to its community and responsive to the needs of those in the community, it is important and necessary that the club include in its membership all fully qualified prospective members located within its territory.”
Only a Rotarian may propose a customer, neighbor, client, supplier, executive, relative, business associate, professional or other qualified person to join a Rotary club. Have you accepted your obligation to share Rotary? The procedures are very simple, and everyone must know at least one person who should belong to Rotary.
The bylaws of Rotary outline the procedure for a prospective member to be proposed for Rotary club membership. The “proposer” is the key person in the growth and advancement of Rotary. Without a sponsor, an individual will never have the opportunity to become a Rotarian.
The task of the proposer should not end merely by submitting a name to the club secretary or membership committee. Rotary has not established formal responsibilities for proposers or sponsors, however, by custom and tradition these procedures are recommended in many clubs. The sponsor should:
1. Invite a prospective member to several meetings prior to proposing the individual for membership. 2. Accompany the prospective new member to one or more orientation/informational meetings. 3. Introduce the new member to other club members each week for the first month. 4. Invite the new member to accompany the sponsor to neighboring clubs for the first make-up meeting to learn the process and observe the spirit of fellowship. 5. Ask the new member and spouse to accompany the sponsor to the club’s social activities, dinners or other special occasions. 6. Urge the new member and spouse to attend the district conference with the sponsor. 7. Serve as a special friend to assure that the new member becomes an active Rotarian.
When the proposer follows these guidelines, Rotary becomes stronger with each new member. Think about these things and how we can strengthen our club membership during August (and the whole year).
.... or why 36 hour multi-leg airline trips through PRC to North America from Thailand may not really be a bargain
What a trip…. should have known it would be interesting.
So, OK I started out going to The Kitchen Seven for breakfast; Joe the owner had volunteered to take me to the airport. I grabbed my old suitcase and left the duffel, given to me by fellow Rotarian PP Jerry, in the apartment to pick up later. While walking to the restaurant I stepped behind a parked Toyota and while waiting for the kamikaze motorcycles to clear, the Toyota started to back into me, knocking me down. There was no real harm but a harbinger of things to come, I think. I had breakfast with CP Roger and went to pick up the duffel.
The wheels started to disintegrate as I was hauling it out of the apartment. While I was picking up plastic and rubber pieces for about twenty yards, the wheels somehow continued to work. But, as we were putting it in the trunk of the car something inside the top back duffel broke. (more on that later) Got lucky at the airport because somebody was just finishing unloading a cart at the curb so I didn’t have to use the faulty wheels anymore.
Had fun with luggage and TSA (whatever they are called in Chiang Mai and China) everywhere. When I got to the airport I must have been behind about four busloads of Chinese tourists, so going through the initial scan took a while but they only wanted my computers removed.
I had checked on the airline's website and it said the weight limit was 32 kilos so I had both bags at a little over 27 kilos to be sure. But when I went to the ticket counter the clerk said 23 kilos or a 2500 baht extra cost for each. So I scrambled around and found what is a new bag for Maggie my dog at the gift shop because my backpack was already overloaded and I just started grabbing stuff and shoving it in Maggie's bag. (pictured right, looking unimpressed with her gift)
Once I got under the limit, I ran off to international boarding to join the end of a long snaking line. Finished that and went to the security check where I was asked to pull all the electronics out of my carry-on which was a bunch because that had been the quickest way to reduce weight from my checked bags. Plus they decided my multivitamins were probably drugs I was smuggling because I had put them in a plastic bag to save size and weight. I told them they were just Centrum Silver and if it was really a problem just keep them. But no they took them away to test. And I had also packed three tubes of Crest 3D white and they said they were over 10 oz. so they did keep those. Anyway after they finished, I needed to repack, so I was probably close to the last person on the plane but I did make it.
At Guangzhou, as I pretty much expected, the Chinese security people pulled everything out of my backpack and bag and dropped them in bins. Both ways, you have to go through security arriving and leaving. By this time I have no clue what is in which bag.
So after getting to Los Angeles, I went through immigration, finding it a relative breeze. You go to a machine and put your passport in, answer the declarations and it prints a receipt. Since I was a returning citizen, I took the receipt to a guy who barely even looked at me and asked if I had anything to declare, then stamped it and I went to pick up my checked luggage for inspection. They just did the same thing, asked me if I had anything to declare then sent me to another station to forward my checked baggage to Alaska Airlines, which was good because I would have really have had trouble getting both bags to the Alaska Airlines terminal by myself.
But when I got to the Alaska Airlines terminal I had to go through TSA and they did pretty much the same routine with my carry on as the Chinese, demanding that I not only show all my electronics where always before it was only laptops, but I needed to take the lens off my SLR and prove both were working items. And they almost confiscated my spare SLR battery. In addition, they of had me take off my belt so when I was in the x-ray machine where you have to hold your hands over your head they told me to pull up my pants. Oops!
So I get to Portland with no American money (I didn’t have time in CM to go to the exchange) and by this time the duffel is totally broken, no wheels, no straps and the backplane is shattered top to bottom. At the luggage go round I picked up my bags and the looked at the cart rack. They wanted $5 to rent a cart. So I started for the front but there were a couple abandoned carts so I commandeered one. Pictured, at left is what I found when I unloaded the bag at home.
The black pieces are part of the backplane that is completely shattered.
After this long and probably boring story, I thank you Jerry, the bag did it’s job but is useless from now on.
Editors note: Jerry reports that he has another big duffel exactly like the one he gave to Gary in his Chiang Mai storage room if anyone needs it. Like the one Gary used to move "home" from Chiang Mai, it's at least ten years old and has been stored in a room without aircon, so you can expect to have an adventure like Gary's if you travel halfway across the world with it.
In July, there were regular Monday, Tuesday and Friday CMIRC English Language Cultural Club sessions at the BEAM Education Foundation. This project is under the leadership of Rotarian Nick.
Tuesday, July 2 we conducted the first regular meeting of CMIRC at The Royal Peninsula Hotel for Rotary Year 2019-2020. Our program was presented by Heather Askew on the topic “JoJo’s Sanctuary”. President Colin had his first official striking of the gong for RY 2019-2020.
Sunday, July 7 was the regular Sunday visit by CMIRC members to the Burma Children Medical Fund's (BCMF) B. K. Kee Patient House. Rotarian Maliwan has assumed the leadership role for this project.
Saturday, July 13 the Rotary Club of Lamphun conducted their annual installation event.
Sunday, July 14 was the regular Sunday visit by CMIRC members to the BCMF B. K. Kee Patient House.
Tuesday, July 16 at the regular meeting of CMIRC at the Royal Peninsula Hotel, we inducted two new members into CMIRC – Rotarians Aree and Gordana. Also, we had a large turnout of visitors from other Rotary clubs in the city to welcome incoming President Colin and our new members.
Wednesday, July 17 the CMIRC Children's Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Committee meet at the Bronco Kids Sports Complex.
Sunday, July 21 was the regular Sunday visit by CMIRC members to the BCMF B. K. Kee Patient House.
Tuesday, July 23 was the pre-induction meeting for future member Bob Ashley at My Secret Café in Town.
Tuesday, July 23 was the monthly CMIRC Board meeting at The Royal Peninsula Hotel.
Wednesday through Friday, July 24-26 there was the CMIRC tour of Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot.
Friday, July 26 was the last Friday in the month “Let’s Talk Rotary” lunch at The Duke’s Restaurant on east side of Ping River.
For a complete and up to date list of events, check our online 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 Sunday at 9:30 am, regular visit by club members to Burma Children Medical Fund's (BCMF) B. K. Kee Patient House. Interested? Contact Rotarian Maliwan.
6 August 2019 - Regular club meeting, 7 pm at the Royal Peninsula Hotel. The program will be presented by Sally Myatt on the topic "Bikes in Bamboo (BIB) Made in Thailand". Gather at 5:45 pm for fellowship and an optional dinner; order from the menu of Thai food at the hotel.
20 August 2019 - Regular club meeting, 7 pm at the Royal Peninsula Hotel. Program by Tom Jerayu Tiamraj on "Going Forward Together". Gather at 5:45 pm for fellowship and an optional dinner; order from the menu of Thai food at the hotel.
24 -25 August 2019 – District Membership, Foundations & Public Information Seminar, Phitsanulok.
30 August 2019 - Last Friday of the Month, "Let's Talk Rotary informal lunch, 11:30 am at Lanchang Restaurant in the Phra Sing Village Hotel, 5 Ratchamanka, Soi 8. Contact PP Jerry for details.
Posted by Jerry Nelson and Nancy Lindley on Aug 03, 2019
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.
Pern's Restaurant, a Mediterranean restaurant on Huey Kaew Road, near Central Kad Suan Kaew mall, is located across from the Shell Petrol station. Brian Pern and his friendly staff (including the legendary Mickey) create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for diners to enjoy steaks, seafood, chicken, pasta and vegetarian offerings. There are nightly specials and half-price house wine on Wednesdays. Most Wednesday and Sunday evenings you can enjoy smooth jazz while dining. First time diners receive a free glass of house wine when they reserve through Pern's website. Book here.
Fashion King is the best tailor in Chiang Mai. They have been in the same shop for over 12 years and receive the highest ratings from Trip Advisor and others. They feature authentic craftsmanship, superior materials and a great value! Their success is measured in customer satisfaction. The owners, Frank and Vanita will personally guide you through the entire process: design, material selection, fitting and delivery. CMIRC members -- this is the place to order a custom-made CMIRC dress-shirt or have a CMIRC emblem embroidered on your casual polo shirt. Frank and Vanita are the sponsors of the famous Chiang Mai fundraising event called “Bollywood Night”. They do a lot to give back to their community, helping the underprivileged in and around Chiang Mai.
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.
It is wonderful to meet the young members from our affiliated Rotaract Club of Payup University. (I'm pictured, right, along with Rtn. Nancy, chatting with some of the Rotaractors.) Their youth and energy are to be expected but their maturity, sense of duty and performance is outstanding. If these are the people who will shortly be running the world then the world is in good hands.
Australian Direct Aid Program Grant
Phetchabun 
British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy program in Phrao
Chiang Mai, CMIRC-Sponsored Program
Swiss Lanna Society Chiang Mai
Thus ended a good session for practice of English conversation and critical thinking.
This month we had a very special treat: We were invited to the home of Past District Governor Anuwat Puvaseth in Lampang for coffee and to pick up six boxes of children’s clothing and toys. PDG Anuwat also presented me with a donation to the 100,000 THB in 100 days campaign for Mae Tao Clinic. Thank you so much! The group is pictured with PDG Anuwat, third from the left. 
Forgive me for being pushy. The truth is that we are trying to use every means available to reach as many kind and generous people as we can so there is a better than fair chance that this may not be the first time you have seen this appeal. This is a critical attempt on behalf of a small Rotary Club to help a desperate situation affecting the lives of many children. Please do two things: 
The Club attended the official opening of the Payap University Center for Social Impact (CSI) on July 26th (pictured, right). The Club made contact with the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and other organizations at the opening event, and is looking into the possibility of a service project collaboration with one of the organizations and the CSI.
First Rotary Club in Myanmar - Thayetmo
Second Rotary Club - Rangoon
Re-Establishment: Rotary Club of Yangon in May, 2014
Now, the Rotary clubs of Central Yangon, Greater Yangon and CMIRC look forward to discussions and future cooperation.
Do you realize how rare Spam is in Thailand? Once, multiple varieties of Spam graced the shelves of food stores throughout the country, but as Thai tastes changed the manufacturer of the product decided not to offer Spam in the country. For a time last year, there was no Spam to be found in Thailand, but then, magically, a long lost shipping container was found on the docks in Laem Chabang and suddenly every food store in Thailand had Spam Hot & Spicy on its shelves. No matter that the expiration date was just a few months away in June 2019.
In my early days at Leading Teams, a colleague explained the difference between involvement and commitment with a simple business fable, ‘the chicken and the pig’. To understand it, consider a plate of bacon and eggs. The chicken was involved, but the pig was committed.
This is a month to think about membership. Learn about our current members but also to think about bringing in new members, such as our newest members Gordana and Aree, pictured right with PP John. Of all the obligations a person accepts when joining a Rotary Club, the one in which most Rotarians fall short is “sharing Rotary.” The policies of Rotary International clearly affirm that every individual Rotarian has an “obligation to share Rotary with others and to help extend Rotary through proposing qualified persons for Rotary club membership.” It is estimated that less than 30 percent of the members of most Rotary clubs have ever made the effort to propose a new member. Thus, in every club, there are many Rotarians who readily accept the pleasures of being a Rotarian without ever sharing that privilege with another qualified individual.
So I scrambled around and found what is a new bag for Maggie my dog at the gift shop because my backpack was already overloaded and I just started grabbing stuff and shoving it in Maggie's bag. (pictured right, looking unimpressed with her gift)
Pictured, at left is what I found when I unloaded the bag at home. 
Tuesday, July 2 we conducted the first regular meeting of CMIRC at The Royal Peninsula Hotel for Rotary Year 2019-2020. Our program was presented by Heather Askew on the topic 
