Music Festival Nets More Than One Million Baht for Needy Children

‘Steve Lowery’ (trumpet player and vocalist, extraordinaire), also from U.S.A, played many sets; and Pattaya’s own well-known businessman and personality Tony hit the keyboards with style and grace. To top the night of great music off, the one and only, ‘Lam Morrison’ ‘Guitar King of Thailand’ played in the Jimi Hendrix style.

Drew Noyes, president of the Optimist Club, and Barry Sullivan and Danny Ljusnefors, founders of the Pattaya Builder’s Association, presented the Mayor of Pattaya, Mr. Itthiphol Khunplome, and Chanyute Hendrakol, former Member of Parliament and leading businessman in Pattaya, a cheque for one million baht which they gratefully accepted on behalf of the Pattaya schools. The directors from Pattaya’s eleven schools were also on hand to receive the funds for scholarships for kids who cannot afford to go to school. The money will help more than 100 children go to school for one year.

Barry Sullivan, Managing Director of Siam Pacific Engineering said,” We will form a self-regulating builder’s association to review building and design issues and to assist the city of Pattaya’s able planning department to ensure building standards of local builders compete with development in the other top resorts in the world. This contribution was raised from more than 20 sponsors and hundreds of individuals. This is the kind of thing we can do to give back to the community through Optimist and the new builder’s association.”

Drew Noyes said, when presenting the cheque to the mayor, “The best gift we all can give our children is a happy childhood. A good education is an essential element in that happiness. With that said we, the foreign community of Pattaya, present this check to help our kids and their future.”

Mayor Kunplome said, “I want to thank Drew and Barry and Danny and all of the Optimistic people who want to help during the current budget cuts. This money will be given directly to help the underprivileged children go to school.”

Nearby News Cafe catered the event and many partygoers said it was the best buffet at a concert they had ever experienced. Another highlight of the evening was the raffle with many great prizes won by those who had bought a ticket. Keith Avery probably was the luckiest, winning three of the major prizes; but the luckiest of all were, actually, the school children whose education will be further advanced by those who gave selflessly.

The Optimist International Club of Thailand has its headquarters in Pattaya and leaders met with government officials to see how the foreign community can help during the recent budget cuts and financial crisis.

Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol said, “The central government has cut our budget ten percent” and added that the idea to raise money for Pattaya schools was important and much-needed.