Farewell Party For Jeffrey Lord

[MattCinderey]

For anyone interested.

Jeffrey is not on life support, but he is still unresponsive, cared for by a full time nurse, and Sam is having to bear the burden of supporting him and raising a kid. It will be a fun party - we want to focus on the community support, and pay tribute to someone we miss. Today is Jeffrey's birthday, his 57th.

Friday April 29th at The Beach Republic An Farewell Party for Jeffrey Lord

The Samui community is hosting a fundraising event at Beach Republic for Jeff, one of Samui's best known international chefs, who set the benchmark for fine dining creativity on the island, and who was badly injured in a motorbike accident.

The party is supported by Beach Republic, and sponsored by the island's food and wine suppliers who have known Jeffrey since he first worked at Poppies on Chaweng in 1997 until he opened Bete...lnut and moved it to Buri Rasa.

Door donation is B500 for free food and wine and there will be music, and a chance for old friends and new to be together for a good community cause and to pay tribute to Jeffrey's passion for life, food, art, and music.

Jeffrey, a long time resident on Samui has been largely unresponsive since August 2009, and has been cared for by his wife Samruay here on Samui. His condition has not changed since he left hospital and he remains in what doctors call a 'persistent vegetative state'.

In May they will move to Sam's home town of Wichianburi (north of Bangkok) with Jeffrey and their daughter Jennifer, and open a small restaurant there. After more than 20 months since the accident, Sam feels this is the best choice for the family. Although she has been fortunate to keep her job at Betelnut at Buri Rasa -- working full time, raising a four year old daughter, and paying for a full time nurse to care for Jeffrey has been very challenging.

Donations are also welcome for those who'd like to contribute but can't make the event. An account has been set up for Jeffrey's daughter Jennifer. Please leave a contact detail or email [email protected] for details.

Shelley Poplak has a FaceBook event page here:

http://www.facebook....176764855708905

Edited April 18, 2011 by Rooo
Contacts approved.

[smokie36]

Its all very sad....lovely bloke....great restaurant as well.

Best of luck to the family.

:jap:

[Rooo]

How did it go Matt? Hope you had a successful day.

[MattCinderey]

Rooo,

It was a great turn out for Jeffrey last night (as to be expected)

If I receive any more information, I'll add it to this thread.

Matt.

[MattCinderey]

Just an update from Shelley with regards to the party.

Last Friday at Beach Republic on Samui we had an opportunity to honour Jeffrey as unique and talented chef, father, friend, and shared his love of food, art and life with everyone there. There were more than 200 people, and just among the community of people on the island we raised more than B250,000 for his family to start a new life upcountry.

We raised more than B250,000 and everyone was extremely generous to give of their time to arrange and attend, to donate vouchers, food, drink and provide such a great venue to make this great community event happen. The update with the full list of generous people will be on Jeffrey's website www.jefflordfood.com soon.

In the week following amidst the family packing and preparing to leave, Jeffrey contracted another bout of pneumonia, and we checked him into Nathon hospital for a few days. Yesterday, the day Sam had scheduled to leave Samui, he passed away at home in the afternoon surrounded by his family.

Everyone says he didn't want to move upcountry to live with his in-laws . Somehow the timing does seem incredible, and even as a pure coincidence it makes everyone feel better about a tragic situation.

The funeral and cremation will be at Wat Sawang Arom in Chaweng probably on Wednesday. Jeffrey's brother Brad is flying from the USA.

Fundraiser 29th April, 2011

All in all it was really a wonderful evening with friends meeting for the first time in ages to raise a toast to Jeffrey and to wish Sam, Jenny and family good luck with the move back home.

The party was generously supported by the Samui community and in the end we estimate we will have raised more than B250,000 including the silent auction, door donations, additional donations in cash, and by transfer by those who could not attend by Paypal or via the bank. And we have deducted some unforseen costs - we had to buy the wine and a couple of cases of beer, but did not detract from the success of sharing and caring that we created. And it's great that there are people with Jeffrey's books, photographs and other prizes walking around Samui this week...

THANK YOU!

Beach Republic: Tim Dean Smith our generous host, who offered the space for the party. Chef Martin, Julie, Fon, Albert and the rest of the great staff who worked really hard to make this easy, fun and a warm party for all concerned!

Siam Map: Thanks to Na who initiated the idea, and to Henrik whose generosity is legend for help with the party concept, making the artwork, invitations, tickets, the box, the posters...

To Na and Ning for helping to presell tickets and drum up support

Reception: Na, Gai and Fon for handling the front desk

Getting the word out: Thanks to everyone who helped spread the news of the party, including the Samui Culinary Circle, the Thai Hotel Association, SOS, Women's Business Network, Samui Channel and individuals who helped via their own lists, facebook etc

Photos: Thanks so much to Khun Jean from Choice Foods who took pics of the event. You can see her youtube slide show at

Music: Thank you to Roland, Rizz and Rick for the music and DJ Steve Bray for coming.

Living lights: To Shawn Mayes for installing his great 'living lights'. [email protected]

Website, Kim Carter: Despite his own health challenges, Kim has been working on Jeffrey's website www.jefflordfood.com pro bono since Jeffrey's accident to keep it updated and we will also put up some updates of the party there with thanks to all and pictures when we get them. [email protected]

Silent Auction: Thanks to Lorraine Clark for handling the silent auction so efficiently and generously despite being sick! The silent auction alone raise more than B90,000....

Vouchers for the silent auction: Thanks to all the businesses and individuals who all donated generous prizes – these are not in order of anything:

Michael and Sue – The Tongsai Bay Hotel Samui

Alex and Ti - Zazen Boutique Resort and Spa

Bernd - Buri Rasa Village Koh Samui

Bernd - Ocean 11 restaurant

Lutz Mueller - Renaissance Koh Samui Resort and Spa

Khun Ben - Tamarind Springs Forest Spa

Khun Jirapa - The Library Koh Samui

Rice Restaurant, Chaweng

David Ashworth - Six senses Samui

Martin Kunzmann – Amari Palm Reef Resort (Prego restaurant)

Punnpreeda Hip Resort Samui

Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort Samui

Support for food and wine: Bernd at Ocean 11 donated cash to pay for the wine as did Andy of Chez Andy. Diageo Moet Hennessy Liquor was also very generous.

In addition, food was donated by Jagota Brothers, Andaman Foods, F&B Food Service and personally by Khun Jean.

Cash donations were made by many: Some anonymously, but we'd like to thank those who helped by giving cash, and by bank transfer or paypal. Not in any particular order, we'd like to sincerely thank Kamalaya, Horst, Norbert, Yves (Papa), Zazen, Steven Berger, David Hill, Beth and Dick Balsamo, John Taylor, Andrea Hahn, Nathan Vogts, Charles and Bang Dwyer, Eden Rock, Guy Hopkins in Chiang Mai, Ilse and Yannick in Singapore, Kim Carter, Salvatore at Il Mulino, June's at the Art Cafe, Ron, and Ms Netnapis Trangtrongwattana (Le Paradis Samui and Napis Enterprise), Joanne Poplak, Penny Dawson and Steve LeClerq and family, Harold Wentworth.

And a very special word of thanks to Bernd Schilling and Khun Kemchaai of Buri Rasa who kept Betelnut with Sam as chef at Buri Rasa after Jeffrey's accident until Sam resigned, and who have been supportive and extremely generous in very trying circumstances.

[Rooo]

Wow, nice to see such support. Amazing.

Thank you for the update Matt.

RIP Jeffrey.