Now in its sixth year the 2003 Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive is looking to top the record sum of 3.3 million baht raised in 2002. With an enlarged and strengthened committee of volunteer professionals, coordinated by Chairman Lewis Underwood, the 2003 Charity Drive is already well underway.

Ten Platinum sponsors have guaranteed the first million thanks to Baltex Industries, Foster Wheeler, Kvaerner E & C, MBMG International, Nirvana Resort (Koh Chang), Pattaya Mail, Sailor Inn, Shenanigans The Irish Pub, Southeast Asia Control and Automation Systems, and Rieckermann Thai Engineering.

Garden International School in Banchang Rayong was quick to follow Coats, BHP Steel, and Laem Chabang International Terminal as a 50,000 baht Gold sponsor, the donation generated by an enterprising Student business project.

ISE and ISR students have also been quick to raise 10,000 baht to qualify as Bronze sponsors, and they join Joe Otter, Chris Kayser, SSL, Haugland Foundation, Joe & William Connelly, John Prince, and Norm Aylward in that category.

Silver sponsors to date are Bayer Thai, Pattaya Nash Hash Committee, Chan Bistro, Clayton Engineering (Thailand) and GLOW Group.

The year round Pledge for Kids campaign, open to companies and individuals wanting to donate but not wishing to go to the corporate level, continues successfully with the first million baht pledged ‘on target’ by the end of June.

The Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive manifests itself through two major events, the Children’s Fair and Charity Bike Ride on Sunday 14th September, and six days later the Jesters Pub Night on Saturday 20th September. For the first three years, 1999-2001, the Children’s Fair was sited at a different location each year. However, in 2002 the ideal venue was found at the Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range, and thanks to the promotional partnership with the Diana Group and the co-operation and support of Diana Group Management, the Children’s Fair is back there this year.

he experience gained in 2002 has initiated a number of improvements to the organization and layout of the Fair that will ensure an even bigger and better event. An expanded stage to feature all the entertainment; more shade around the many stalls; more featured activities for the children with a Children’s Play Center adjacent to the Beer Garden to benefit both children and parents. The luxurious Diana Garden Resort is offering Charity Packages for a one or two night stay to enable out of town visitors to be on hand for the Children’s Fair.

Company contributors play a significant role in helping to make the Children’s Fair a success by donating products and services. Already we have the support of Nestle (ice cream) and BT Insurance (water) with promises from many more. Cases of beer for the Beer Garden are donated by individuals with all of the sale proceeds adding to the charity fund.

The popular Children’s Raffle will again feature a giant bear and, from the shortlist of applicants, it looks like ‘Biffo’ will be the star this year. Many spectacular prizes will be on offer sponsored by Pattaya Sports Club, and the Jesters are donating a Sony Play Station II. Lego Denmark has kindly donated some large boxes of assorted Lego to add to the prize list.

The Charity Bike Ride kicks off Fair Day – adult rides only this year for safety reasons - with the choice of a 25 or 50 K ride. Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Ambulance Unit will be alongside and afterwards be on station at the Fair. Free Blood Pressure tests available as usual.

Shenanigans Landlord Kim Fletcher organizes the bike ride and plans the route. However, his enthusiasm for early planning has been somewhat thwarted this year by the proliferation of road works around the city, both in progress and planned, so the route will not be announced until shortly before the Fair. Alternative route options have been worked out and sit in Kim’s pending tray awaiting a decision.

T-shirt Price: 300 Baht....

Another of our regular promotional partners is Baltex Industries, who generously donate the stylish Bike Ride shirts. Baltex also produce the popular ‘Care for Kids’ ‘T’ Shirt, which is updated each year. An early production run of this year’s shirt is now available and features children’s face paintings on the front and the ten Platinum sponsors on the back – with a blank space as an invitation to another Platinum Sponsor to join.

... or get 2 for 500 Baht

The second major event is the Jesters Pub Night on Saturday 20th September, hosted by ‘Care for Kids’ promotional partner Shenanigans. And what a party night that is! The best of Shenanigans live music with the focus of the evening being the Grand Raffle and Auction.

Tickets for the Grand Raffle will be on sale much earlier this year with a special incentive to ‘early bird’ buyers. A wonderful range of prizes is coming together including international airline tickets from BA/Qantas and domestic travel from DCT Travel with Resort accommodation, and much more.

Our professional auctioneer, Eddie Henheffer, hopes to be in Thailand to do the business on the night calling the Lots. That alone is entertainment worth coming for. The items for auction are coming in, including a Manchester United ‘7’ shirt signed by David Beckham. That in itself is good enough, but how about a pair of signed balls as well!

Best selling author Stephen Leather has signed an unpublished manuscript ‘Private Dancer’, and we have signed Formula 1 Car & Driver photos and the framed Schumi Sisters again.

If you are a regular visitor to the Children’s Fair, you might want to bid for the 160-photo compilation album that photographer Howard Greene has kindly put together from his work at previous fairs.

Our fourth promotional partner is Pattaya Mail, providing the valuable facility of press and television coverage from May right up to the Children’s Fair and Pub Night in September. Their Studio facilities have also produced the one item of display material available this year – the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Bumper Sticker, suitable for any display point. Just call at Shenanigans and pick up one, or even several to give to friends. Next month the ‘Mystery Spotters’ are out and about giving away prizes. All you have to do is display the sticker and give the ‘Care for Kids’ spotter the chance to say ‘thank you’.

Get the Care 4 Kids JCD 2003 bumper sticker free at Shenanigans

Finally, when all is said and done, where is the money going? Firstly, to help the underprivileged children who attend the Fountain of Life Center have a start in life and some education and, for those who have ID, a chance to receive a scholarship to go to a Government School. Fifty-four scholarships have already been given this year with the next group almost ready to qualify. Secondly, to provide badly needed equipment for children at the Redemptorist School for the Blind, in Naklua. Thirdly, to re-build the School at the Child Welfare & Protection Institute Huay Pong.
Work started in June and that will be the subject of the next Pattaya Mail press report and TV link later this month.

To find out more about the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive, past and present, take a moment to surf these pages. Any info of any year can be found via our jump links on our home page, or contact us by e-mail at JCD2003@care4kids.info.