The Chiang Mai International Rotary Club (CMIRC) recently concluded its 2022 Children's Winter Clothing Appeal. The response from the public was overwhelming, with donations exceeding last year's record. In total, the club collected and delivered 13,682.91 kg (30,165.65 lbs) of warm clothing, blankets, shoes, jackets, school supplies, and toys to children in need in eleven remote, hard-to-access locations in three Northern provinces: Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, and Tak.
The beneficiaries included refugees, hill tribes, migrants, and local villagers - people of Thai, Karen, Shan, Burmese, Kayan, and Hmong origin. In addition, the club sent donations to the Burma Children Medical Fund B.K. Kee Patient House in Chiang Mai.
This success was made possible through collaboration with two key partners, Daughters Rising and the Classic Car Club of Lanna. Daughters Rising, a nonprofit empowering at-risk girls, helped sort, wash, and deliver donations to meet the specific needs of refugees. The Classic Car Club of Lanna is a hobby drivers' club with enthusiastic and adventurous members.
Check out this fun video of our delivery trips:
We estimate that over 1,000 hours were dedicated to this project between October 2022 and April 2023. Hundreds of volunteers (community members, donors, fellow Rotarians, Daughters Rising staff, friends, family) got involved in this initiative. These incredible individuals took on a wide range of tasks, from designing/printing stickers, flyers, and posters, producing donation boxes; going through their wardrobe sorting, washing, and packaging clothes; driving to drop them off at donation points; picking up and delivering donations to beneficiaries, organizing campaigns in their school to promote this initiative, interpreting, translating, editing promotional videos or writing articles for the CMIRC Bulletin.
The weight of the donations we received - 13,682.91 kg (30,165.65 lbs) - speaks volumes about the compassion and support of our community. Your contributions have brought warmth, comfort, and hope to those in need, making a real difference in their lives during the winter season.
Once again, thank you for your incredible generosity and for being part of the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club's Children's Winter Clothing Appeal. Together, we've achieved something truly remarkable!