IHF Charity Christmas party - a plea for help!

[muppy7]

Dear all,

I am Lotti, the director at the IHF Chiang Rai centre! This December I have grand plans to throw a charity Christmas party to raise funds for our children's home.

But I need your help!!
I know very little about both organising parties and what is available in Chiang Rai but I have been to parties before and I know we will need a venue, catering and entertainment.

However since we are a charity and do not have a budget for this kind of thing, we need all of this for free or for discounted rates.

I appreciate that this a great deal to ask and expect but I am relying on the generosity and goodwill of the Chiang Rai community to help me and make this happen!

If anyone has something to offer, advice to give or contacts who might be able to help, ANY and all comments are appreciated

Everyone loves a party and this one is for a great cause so LET'S DO THIS!!

\For more information about IHF our website is www.ihfonline.org, or feel free to contact me at <removed>

Thanking you all,

Lotti.

[sceadugenga]

Don Battles has catered for a few parties in his time, he may be the man to talk to.

[DonaldBattles]

I suggest that you allow other Christian organizations who are funded to help you.

[kevvy]

I will be there in December , and if you need a Santa to come and see the children please let me know , my wife and I would love to help in that way .I have a professional outfit.

[muppy7]

That would be FANTASTIC!! If you wouldn't mind emailing me with your contact details I can let you know as our plans (hopefully!) progress!

[pastafarian]

I suggest that you allow other Christian organizations who are funded to help you.

I'd have to agree with DB, there are numerous (too many!) charities, foundations, NGO's, Missionary groups etc where most of the tax-free donations are spent on the workers rather than the people they are supposed to be helping, if you really don't have any money for this then you should ask one of them for financial help.

[kevvy]

For some, the biggest benefit of giving to charity is simply that it produces a feeling of happiness.Father Ray is a very big organization , yet still asks for money to help the children.My wife and I like to help where we can. Once you’ve given something to a charity that you truly believe in, you feel good about it. The money in your pocket went towards a cause beyond what you can manage in your daily life, a cause that combined with the similar actions of others can actually bring about change to the children of the world or the children of Thailand. That’s not something you can get from buying yourself a flat panel television.It does not have to be a baht value, you can help in many ways .

[sceadugenga]

There's more than a little resentment among expats where the NGOs are concerned, a lot of them have a holier than thou attitude that does not invite a lot of close contact.

Allegations of children being kept from their parents and culture for the purpose of religious brainwashing are commonplace.

Recently I was personally attacked by the administrator of another forum for posting an openly published news item on ThaiVisa about an NGO activity that... ahem... apparently didn't happen.

Because of this the chances of any NGO raising any money or getting a sympathetic hearing here is deeply compromised, we don't read about their activities on news sources thousands of miles away we see it with our own eyes or hear it first hand from people that have.

Which is probably the reason they don't like us either, it distracts from the drive for the all important charity dollar.

[muppy7]

Thank you all for your replies. It is a shame that NGOs have a bad name in Chiang Rai but I think it is unfair to group everyone together.

We are non-religious, non-political and absolutely non-profit. I can only speak for my organisation but I can assure you we are not out to make money and not out to steal children from their homes. The IHF is run entirely by unpaid volunteers. The children live with us so they can go to school, but they are free to go home at any time.

You are more than welcome to come and see for yourselves the work we do. Email me at any time [email protected] if you would like to visit. Our website www.ihfonline.org also has lots of information about our work.

I have to say I find this kind of response disheartening. But it is good to hear what people think so I appreciate the honesty.

This doesn't deter me. Might make things even harder than they are already but where's the fun without a bit of a challenge?!

I'm 24 years old, no experience in event planning and little knowledge of what's available in Chiang Rai. All I ask for is advice.

Lotti.

[sceadugenga]

My post was in no way meant to personal Lotti, I was trying to explain why you may be getting some negative feed back.

Some NGOs do good work, they provide help and education to those in need without destroying their way of life.

You already have an offer of help for your party, you may receive more and I personally wish you the best.

[toybits]

Many religious organizations hide behind veneers like orphanages, home for abandoned children, hospices, or even language schools. Like it or not, this is happening and affects all organizations whether they are legitimate or not - whether they are deceitful or honest. Personally, I prefer to help in social development work. But donating for a Christmas party just does not sink in well with me. First is that the Christmas party in itself has a religious undertone. Why not celebrate THAI festivals. They you will not have to deny that it is a religious influenced celebration.

You may be a non-religious, non-political, non-profit organization. But celebrating a Charity CHRISTMAS party IS NOT CONSISTENT with your statement.

hmmmm ... So which is it then?

Edited September 3, 2013 by toybits

[muppy7]

Gosh I had no idea there were so many people against good causes.

Please let me be clear, I am NOT asking for donations of money from people. I am asking for advice and if anyone can assist in the way of providing a venue, entertainment, catering etc that would help me a lot.

And the "Christmas" part was not meant in a religious way. I've lived in Thailand long enough to know that many people, both Thai and farang, Buddhist, Christian, athiest, or whatever love to celebrate the festival of Christmas, non-religiously. Christmas is an event everyone recognises and many celebrate whether they are religious or not.

I'm happy to remove all religious connotations if people would be happier. A "December" party perhaps.

[pastafarian]

Gosh I had no idea there were so many people against good causes.

Please let me be clear, I am NOT asking for donations of money from people. I am asking for advice and if anyone can assist in the way of providing a venue, entertainment, catering etc that would help me a lot.

And the "Christmas" part was not meant in a religious way. I've lived in Thailand long enough to know that many people, both Thai and farang, Buddhist, Christian, athiest, or whatever love to celebrate the festival of Christmas, non-religiously. Christmas is an event everyone recognises and many celebrate whether they are religious or not.

I'm happy to remove all religious connotations if people would be happier. A "December" party perhaps.

It's not that people are against good causes, rather that people have had enough of (usually religious) charities, missionaries, foundations etc forcing their religion on the recipients of their help while most of the donations are spent on themselves instead of the people in need. That is the reality behind many of the groups that are active here in Thailand and also around the world, the funds they receive allows them to live very comfortable lifestyles while doing very little to help the people they are claiming to be helping. If you are one of the few genuine outfits then I applaude you and wish you the best of luck with your 'December' party

[kevvy]

Gosh I had no idea there were so many people against good causes.

Please let me be clear, I am NOT asking for donations of money from people. I am asking for advice and if anyone can assist in the way of providing a venue, entertainment, catering etc that would help me a lot.

And the "Christmas" part was not meant in a religious way. I've lived in Thailand long enough to know that many people, both Thai and farang, Buddhist, Christian, athiest, or whatever love to celebrate the festival of Christmas, non-religiously. Christmas is an event everyone recognises and many celebrate whether they are religious or not.

I'm happy to remove all religious connotations if people would be happier. A "December" party perhaps.

Muppy7

if your Christmas party is near the date I gave you count my wife and me in. Anything to help the children. And I thank you for helping those children.

[scorpio1945]

Thank you as well.

Sent from my GT-P5113 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[villagefarang]

After checking out you public relations site, I am really impressed to hear that your organization is totally volunteer and everyone pays their own way for things like airfares, accommodation, meals, transportation, computers, etc. On top of that you still have the ambition to splash out on big parties, complete with catering and entertainment. I am impressed.

Why not join forces with others in the same business and pool your resources to throw your Christmas bash? It seems like the charitable thing to do.

[sceadugenga]

You should have worked out by now that the religious don't want to mix with the heathens regardless of having common ground when it comes to helping the less fortunate.

How long did you say you had been in Thailand?

[apache9441]

Christmas, Yule tide, or whatever you want to call it is actually a pagan festival, usually associated with the Winter Solstice.

and has been celebrated for thousands of years BC.

nothing to stop Christians, pagan's , animist's , Buddhists or Atheists or other heathen's celebrating it.

as you've already said 'Everyone loves a party' ..... especially the Thai's

I'll probably build a bonfire and dance around my totem pole .

Good Luck with it Muppy7

Edited September 4, 2013 by apache9441

[sceadugenga]

I usually put on food and drink for the local Buddhists who have to be helped onto their motocys to drive home at the end of the night.

[rai57000]

Hi muppy7....How many people are coming including kids and im sure my Wife and i can help you in some way... Cheers and have a good day..

[muppy7]

Hello!

I have no idea about numbers yet as we're just in the initial stages of planning. I will post updates as and when I have them!

Thank you for your support!