Our quiet achiever since nearly a year ago has been the Pledge for Kids Program, which we have run in tandem with Corporate Sponsorship to raise additional funds for the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive. The Pledge is primarily a concept of making donations on a monthly basis over a 12-month period. There are 4 options to choose from:
Mike Franklin & Lewis Underwood

• A Corporate Gold Pledge of 2000 baht per month
• A Corporate Silver Pledge of 1000 baht per month

• A Personal Gold Pledge of 1000 baht per month
• A Personal Silver Pledge of 500 baht per month.

There is also a Good Samaritan Pledge for those wishing to make a one-off donation. This option has been convenient for accepting lump sum donations from companies that do not want to go to our Corporate Sponsorship levels.

PMCI and David Smith have been instrumental in not only launching the Pledge Program, but also printing brochures (with an application form), providing Pledge Kits (framed certificate and composite mélange of children’s photos for attaching the monthly receipts and thank-you letter), as well as controlling the accounting. Members of the Jesters MC (Volunteer Pledge Collectors) provide assistance by going around each month to collect the donations from those in the Pledge Program.

To date, the Pledge has generated 630, 000 baht out of almost 900, 000 baht pledged. We are hoping to realize the original target of one million baht in pledges by July in the Program’s first year. The Pledge for Kids program of monthly donations has now made the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive a truly year round effort. For more info, please visit www.care4kids.info/pledge.

British Airways and Qantas deserve a special mention as they have offered for the past five years the Star Prize in our Grand Raffle at the Jesters’ Pub Night: 2 Economy tickets Bangkok-Sydney return. Despite, the present trying times for the airline industry, BA/Qantas has come through once again for the sixth consecutive year in offering this top prize. The successful selling of Grand Raffle tickets, which generates about a half million baht each year for the Charity Drive, would not be possible without the continuing support of British Airways and Qantas for which we are grateful.

Hans Westphal at Rieckermann Thai Engineering has just become our 10th Platinum Sponsor (100,000 baht) for 2003. Hans, who was out of the country when our first press release came out, has been a big part of our Charity Drive. He first came aboard in 2001 as a Gold Sponsor (50,000 baht) and now, with this year’s commitment, has gone Platinum for the second consecutive year. Additionally, his wife’s restaurant, Chan’s Bistro, is once again a Silver Sponsor (25,000 baht) for the third consecutive year. We greatly appreciate both Hans and Chan’s continuing support.

Our other 9 Platinum Sponsors for this year are: Baltex Industries, Foster Wheeler, Kvaerner E & C, MBMG International, Nirvana Resort (Koh Chang), Pattaya Mail, Sailor Inn, Shenanigan’s and Southeast Asia Control and Automation Systems.

In addition to the sponsors mentioned, we have a different type of sponsor, namely the four Promotional Partners who work with us and provide invaluable support. So who are our Promotional Partners?

Christoph Balzli at Baltex Industries, who graciously provided our Sponsored Bike Ride participants with the classy bike shirts last year, and was a Gold Sponsor too, has upped the ante to Platinum Sponsor this year. Baltex will not only provide the bike shirts again free of cost, but is also giving a generous discount on our ‘Care for Kids’ Event shirts. This is the fourth year that Baltex have been the makers of the popular ‘Care for Kids’ shirt.

There are other promotional partners, too, that give invaluable support and generously contribute services and facilities to ensure the success of the Jesters Charity Drive.

Pattaya Mail, through regular press coverage in Pattaya Mail & Pattaya Blatt and linked Pattaya Mail Television broadcasts on Sophon Cable TV, pro-vides publicity in depth between May & September.

Support, too, from their design studio in producing the Children’s Fair program and publicity material.

Shenanigans The Irish Pub, through its enthusiastic landlord Kim Fletcher, organizes the highly successful Bike Ride at the Children’s Fair and, six days later on Saturday September 20th, hosts the Jesters Pub Night in Shenanigans to bring the Charity Drive to a climatic and successful conclusion. Always a party night to enjoy, and always a night to remember.

Finally for the first year we do not have to look for a suitable venue for the Jesters Children’s Fair. The Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range proved to be the ideal venue in 2002 and it was the best Children’s Fair yet. Thanks to the continued support and co-operation from Khun Sopin Thappajug and the Diana Group Management, that is where the Children’s Fair will be this year, on Sunday September 14th. Our experience carried over from 2002 has produced new ideas, including more shade by the stalls, more fun facilities for the children (especially close to the Beer Garden), an even better stage set-up, and more besides. Committee men Kevin Mitch and Jon Wilson are going to make that happen.

More news about the 2003 Jesters Charity Drive, Children’s Fair and Pub Night to come in future issues of Pattaya Mail and on Pattaya Mail Television News. Stay tuned.