Happy August! This month, I am celebrating the 19th anniversary of my arrival in Thailand. What an exciting journey this has been! I remember getting off the plane and stepping outside Don Muang Airport. The steamy heat hit me in the face. I looked up at the grey cloudy sky in the drizzling rain and wondered if this was really the tropics. Welcome to the rainy season, Viki!
August is also significant because it marks Membership and New Club Development Month. Rotary ensures continuing personal and professional development.
Rotarians do community service, build friendships, and networks, enhance their leadership skills, and gain experience in public speaking and communication, organization and planning, team building, fundraising, etc.
My reason for joining the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club (CMIRC) was in wanting to give back to society. I owe so much to Thailand and the Thai people. What is the best way to return their kindness? It is to make sure that the next generation grows up in a safe and healthy environment with access to education. That is how I came across the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club.
CMIRC focuses on child safety, health, and education in Northern Thailand. Membership is open to all, regardless of gender, religious affiliation, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or nationality. We are a family-friendly group. We thrive to provide a fulfilling experience to every member and participant. We consider what members want to get from Rotary and assign them meaningful responsibilities.
If you are interested in learning more about Rotary International or the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club, contact our Membership Chair, Myrna Muyana at membership@cmirotary.org.
July was another successful month for the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club. Our Children's Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Program received substantial donations of 1,500 USD from the Huaqiao Foundation in Hong Kong and a donation of 70,000 baht from a "friend of Rotary" in Thailand. Our water safety program is now fully funded for Rotary Year 2022-2023. Thank you for your generosity!
The biweekly visits at the Burma Children Medical Fund B.K. Kee Patient House have resumed. Project Champion Gary Herman delivered three donated Dell Latitude notebook computers, courtesy of Mazars Thailand Ltd., a new Wi-Fi 6 router, cabling, and an Android TV box for educational purposes.
The last interview for 2020 Finalists for Rotary District 3450 One International Humanitarian Awards took place on July 14, 2022. The judges interviewed our nominee, Avis Rideout of Nikki’s Place Agape Home, via ZOOM. We are looking forward to learning about the results in November.
Officers of the proposed CMIRC Foundation met with representatives from the Provincial Governor's Office and the Chiang Mai Tessaban Offices of Welfare and Culture for a final application review and office inspection before the final legal certification of our foundation application. The tentative date for the formal certification signoff by the Chiang Mai Provincial Governor is August 1. We are keeping our fingers crossed.
Project Champion John Schorr organized a training session for the upcoming School Vision Screening Project for 3rd and 5th graders at the eleven municipal schools and Wat Suan Dok School. Dr. Nickie from Saint Peter Eye Hospital joined us on ZOOM to give an ophthalmologist insight into vision screening and vision problems in children.
Lastly, we had a productive meeting with the Water & Sanitation Global Grant 2233068 group. Rotary District 5230 Grants Chair Doug Brown, CMIRC/Host Club Primary Contact John Schorr, President-Elect and Secondary Contact Nancy Lindley, Foundation Chair Roger Lindley, and I as Secondary Contact were present. Oh boy, this has been a busy month!