Helping a Handicap Rehabilitation Center

[PK]

Today Isara visited a rehabilitation center for the handicapped. The facility is funded by the government and is very well taken care of by the employees. It was obvious everyone there cares a lot about their job and the responsibility they have.



The 43 guests of the facility are from many different areas of Thailand. Each day they are taught a variety of skills, including: electronics repair, auto-mechanics, hairstylist, how to make clothes, and also traditional massage. Some of them also enjoy making robots out of the spare parts from motorcycles.

 

While taking a tour of the grounds we made a list of items they need (sports equipment, jackets, etc.) and we also talked about having a special day for the 43 guests who live there. We're thinking maybe a traditional Thai dance show, with singers, karaoke, and lots of food!

Speaking of food, we ended our tour as only Thai people know how. With a BIG feast!



I will keep you posted (pun intended) on the progress of this project in the next few days.
-pk

[Ginafish]

Awesome Project! And great pictures too! It must be winter there, every one is wearing jackets...and sandals.

I'm sure they'd enjoy an "Isara Festival" at the school.
 

[Soulessaint]

Wonderful!! Gbya

[M3R1IN]

this is definitley my cup of tea i cant wait to see what we can accomplish here.
Yes, its "winter" here they call it the cool season though and it is cooler here now especially at night i only have my fan at low speed because i will freeze if i have it any higher which is quite the contrast to a months ago when i had it cranked and wasnt sleeping with a quilt.

[Laura]

Sounds like another great project.  Keep up the good work *  Laura

[M3R1IN]

Um...WHAT?! is this the Laura i think it is?
I think this is my Moms' first post? could it be?  let me look outside and check...no pigs arent flying,, let me dig a hole, nope hell hasnt frozen over...hmm? Wait maybe the sky is falling

[Laura]

Quit mocking me, brat.  Im still learning how to post.  Thats right, Im cool.  You're friends are going to love your mom.  Wait till I tell them all the embarrassing childhood stories.  hehe  Just wait till I get over there.  Love you Weezie.
 p.s.- Its late , shouldnt you be sleeping.  hehe
Love mom

[Ginafish]

Hi Laura! Welcome to Isara's forum!  You don't have to post for us to think you are cool. Although we'd really enjoy embarrassing endearing childhood stories of young M3R1IN here. 

[PK]

Hi Laura. Thanks for posting and I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks.

UPDATE:
The "Isara Festival" will be held this Saturday at 3pm (Thai time).

The Som Tum restaurant located near the ILC has agreed to donate some Thai food and the manager of the local pizza shop just called and said they will donate 15 PIZZAS for the event!!! Wow!!!

Also, a dance troupe from a local school will put on a small show and, like any party in Thailand, we'll of course have some karaoke.

We're still looking for sports equipment and jackets to donate.

[KitKat]

  Wow! This event sounds amazing.  Isara's first "Festival"!  I know you MUST be REALLY BUSY!
 

[Ginafish]

I hope Som Tum donated enough for the residents, because we KNOW who's eating the pizza.

I hope the new camera is going Especially for the dance and karaoke!

[KitKat]

I hope Som Tum donated enough for the residents, because we KNOW who's eating the pizza.

I hope the new camera is going Especially for the dance and karaoke!

LOL!! Yes!!  Thanks Ginafish, for the big laugh this morning. Karaoke is so much fun and very popular in Nongkhai.  I can't wait to see the video!

[PK]

One of the reasons it's so easy (and cheap) to help people in Thailand is because the Thais are naturally very generous. Here's an example that just happened 10 minutes ago: I went to a local market to buy some sports equipment. One of the items we needed was 180 baht (about $5) and we needed four of them. I told the woman we were donating the equipment, so could she give us a lower price, "Maybe 175 or 170 each." She thought about it for a while and then came back and said, "145". How many sales-people do you know that would go LOWER than what the customer requested?

Amazing Thailand!

So far, with all the projects we've done, the Mom and Pop shops have donated and given incredible discounts on a lot of items. But, unfortunately, a lot of the items we need to donate can only be found at the BIG franchise shops like the Wal-Marts and 7-11s, and they don't negotiate prices or donate. Or, if they do, there's a lot of paperwork and wait time involved. So the poor Mom and Pop shops will donate or lower their prices to help anyone, but the rich mega-stores won't budge an inch. Interesting world we live in - where the "haves" don't give but the "have-nots" give a lot.

[KitKat]

A big "Thank You" to all the great Mom and Pop shops in Nongkhai. It's great to have your support with Isara's many projects. 
 
Yes, Amazing Thailand!! 

M3R1IN, I know you must be very excited about your Mom coming soon to Nongkhai. I know she'll have a great time.   She'll see what the words "Amazing Thailand" really means.

Laura, it's very nice to meet you and I'm looking forward to hearing about your trip to Nongkhai.
I know you'll be very busy site seeing, Your days will go by very quickly with so much going on.
 
 
   

[Ginafish]

PK, that's great news about the local shops helping out! I don't think I've heard of a story where the price went lower than what you've suggested! That's Awesome!

The world often works that way, were the ones who have least give the most. They understand what it's like to live with little so it's no sacrifice to do without. They also understand that when you give, you get big things in return.

[KitKat]

The world often works that way, were the ones who have least give the most. They understand what it's like to live with little so it's no sacrifice to do without. They also understand that when you give, you get big things in return.

Ginafish, well said.

[M3R1IN]

Tomorrow should be an interesting day.  This seems like something  similar to what we did last time i was in Thailand working with Kirk at T2T, we threw a huge party at a local school we had spent weeks on painting and renovating stuff in we had several hundred people show up to the party. Oh that new video camera will get a good work out im sure, the quality is so good for such a small camera. 

[M3R1IN]

I have an announcement to make about this activity.
I have just recieved a gracious $100 donation from my only sibling, my older brother and my wonderful sister in law.  Thank-you so much guys.  My sis in law works with mentally and physically handicapped children in Canada so she can relate. 
My brothers handle on Isara is k3wf3w. This is 31337 p4hx0r(translation: eleet hacker) for kewfew or "cool fool"
I will try to get him to post sometime today.

[Ginafish]

Okay, you lost me on the "My brother's hand on Isara is" and then I picked up again at "I will try to get him to post sometime today".

Maybe he'll post after this:

[KitKat]

Wow!! $100 donation from your brother and sister-in-law, thank you for helping with Isara's latest project.   

[PK]

That was great news! Because of their donation we were able to buy them a lot more things they needed. Thanks!!!

Well, it's been a looooong day. We spent the whole morning running around town asking for last minute donations for food and drinks. Then, at about 2:30pm, we all headed out to the rehabilitation center. We got back home at about 7pm and I'm happy to say it was a HUGE success. Everyone had a great time and they REALLY enjoyed the show, the food, and all the stuff we donated.

Here's a few pics for now. I'll upload more tomorrow.


And some of the students made something for Isara. Check it out!!!


Isara now has its own robot.

Thanks for everyone's help with this project.

[Ginafish]

Thank you for the update and pictures! Traditional Dancers! Live Karaoke! Ming in a skirt! Isara's Robot! And Ping Pong!

[PK]

Speaking of bananas, there were also plenty of those too.

[M3R1IN]

"Peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time!, peanut butter peanut butter peanut butter jelly time"
thats an obscure reference i challenge you to figure this one out.

[KitKat]

Wow!! Thanks for the update, photos, and surprises.

Ming's wearing heels! Ming you look awesome.

A very exciting day for all. I hope everyone is getting some much needed rest now.

PK,
Their bananas are pretty good, I ate a few while I was there.  Are the banana trees on the ILC property producing any bananas?

M3R1IN, I hope you had a great time. Your peanut butter jelly time has me puzzled.