The Street Kids Need Some Friends

[Mobi]

Hi everyone,

Many of you have been very generous and have responded to the various appeals I have made in this forum for supplies and monetary donations.

Also, as you are aware, the help needed to look after these kids is never ending, and in fact it costs around 100,000 Baht per month just to pay the running costs, to say nothing of the need to purchase the building the kids live in. There is no government support for this centre and they rely entirely on donations. One of the current ideas is that we find 100 people to all pledge 1,00 baht a month as sponsors, but one of the stumbling blocks is the resources required just to organise the admin on soemthing lkike this. It simply doesn't exists.

Well JohnC and I put our heads together the other day, and John suggested that we try to encourage the goodwill shown by you good people of Pattaya (and elsewhere) and try to get a group called The “Friends of Mercy” going, who could all do their bit, however small, to help the kids.

None of us, including me, have limitless time and resources available, but if we all chipped in a bit, with our skills, contacts and resources, maybe we could achieve something worth while. I have received many good suggestions on this forum, but like most of you, I have limited time available to follow up.

So the idea is that we all get together, and kick ideas around, and maybe tap into our friends and acquaintances – both here and elsewhere in Thailand and even beyond, to see if we can’t really make a difference, and alleviate the financial traumas that are part of daily life at the Mission.

I emphasis that I am not necessarily talking about donations, but a group who could somehow mobilize the means to get the money flowing.

I will throw this open to all you good people, to kick around and discuss, and possibly come up with some suggested dates/days times for an initial get together at the mission. (what days would be convenient – weekends ? weekdays? etc)

Is there anyone out there who would be willing to organize and run such a group?

What do you say folk?

Talk to me please.

Edited October 12, 2006 by Mobi D'Ark

[Tammi]

Dear Mobi,

I'll be pleased to give the kids 1,000 baht each month. Recently gave up drinking gin so glad to find a better use for the money! Wish I could do more but not possible at this time. Does Mercy have a bank account I can transfer the money to?

Best regards.

[Chang_paarp]

Dear Mobi,

I'll be pleased to give the kids 1,000 baht each month. Recently gave up drinking gin so glad to find a better use for the money! Wish I could do more but not possible at this time. Does Mercy have a bank account I can transfer the money to?

Best regards.

go to

www.mercypattaya.org

and click on how can I help.

The details are there for donations within Thailand, via Paypal, and from the UK.

[JohnC]

We will be having an inaugral meeting on Saturday 18th at 10:00 am if anyone can make it you will be more than welcome. I know its short notice but we have to start somewhere.

[soic]

Has anyone thought about contacting Sunbelt and asking if there's a way to get a Non-profit foundation set up? It that can be set up, I'd recommend finding some simple product, keychain or other trinket that could be made cheaply by the children and then have them sell the items in the tourist areas. That would help get your message out to the masses that don't know about the problem. You could print up some little flyers like some of the deaf schools do, or invest in a a small booth on Beach Road and sell donated items with a sign that denotes the purpose.... Heck, I know by my own experience, I've donated money and returned the item for re-sale. Just some ideas... I don't live in Pattaya or even near there...

[Mobi]

Dear Mobi,

I'll be pleased to give the kids 1,000 baht each month. Recently gave up drinking gin so glad to find a better use for the money! Wish I could do more but not possible at this time. Does Mercy have a bank account I can transfer the money to?

Best regards.

go to

www.mercypattaya.org

and click on how can I help.

The details are there for donations within Thailand, via Paypal, and from the UK.

Tammi. Chang_Paarp, thanks so much but please hold your horses.

The whole point about these monthly sponsors is that we want to do it properly, keep track of the money and sign people up so we can administer it all in a professional manner. That is the point of trying to organise "friends of Mercy" - to find the resources to administer this. The monthly spnosorhsip appeal has not been launched yet, because the structure has to be sorted. I just mentioned that as one of the things we want the new goup to be involved in.

Tammy, you are very welcome to put money into the ATM but if you do so, we have no way of knowing who paid it, or keeping a proper record of your contributions. Please bear with us and we'll hopefully get it all sorted.

As I've said, a lot of money needs to be raised on a regular basis, so we must put it on a firm footing.

Thanks for your understanding.

Mobi

[Mobi]

Has anyone thought about contacting Sunbelt and asking if there's a way to get a Non-profit foundation set up? It that can be set up, I'd recommend finding some simple product, keychain or other trinket that could be made cheaply by the children and then have them sell the items in the tourist areas. That would help get your message out to the masses that don't know about the problem. You could print up some little flyers like some of the deaf schools do, or invest in a a small booth on Beach Road and sell donated items with a sign that denotes the purpose.... Heck, I know by my own experience, I've donated money and returned the item for re-sale. Just some ideas... I don't live in Pattaya or even near there...

Thanks soic.

The Mercy Centre is already part of a non- profit foundation. It currently piggy backs on another foundation, and has been processing a foundation in its own name for a long while. Hopefully it will receive approval soon, but in the meantime everything is legal.

It also happens that the kids are already making stuff that is selling very well at various functions, bazaars etc. This can no doubt be expanded with the help of the "friends of Mercy" group.

Keep the ideas coming folks

Mobi

[Mobi]

We will be having an inaugral meeting on Saturday 18th at 10:00 am if anyone can make it you will be more than welcome. I know its short notice but we have to start somewhere.

Soirry John - there is a tiny bit of confusion here. The meeting is on Wednesday 18th, but that is the regular volunteers monthly meeting - not the inaugural meeting of "friends of Mercy". Could well end up being the same thing, but at the moment we haven't set a date for the new group.

As stated above, we are open to suggestioons on suitable dates/times and who, if anyone is willing to come along.

Thanks

Mobi

[Tammi]

go to

www.mercypattaya.org

and click on how can I help.

The details are there for donations within Thailand, via Paypal, and from the UK.

Tammy, you are very welcome to put money into the ATM but if you do so, we have no way of knowing who paid it, or keeping a proper record of your contributions. Please bear with us and we'll hopefully get it all sorted.

As I've said, a lot of money needs to be raised on a regular basis, so we must put it on a firm footing.

Thanks for your understanding.

Mobi

Dear Mobi, will send 1,000 baht every month. Mai pen rai you do not know from whence it comes.

All best wishes.

[Mobi]

Dear Mobi, will send 1,000 baht every month. Mai pen rai you do not know from whence it comes.

All best wishes.

Tammi, thank you so much

[JohnC]

Bump!!

Isnt retiremnet wonderful when you dont even know what day ist is! silly old fart that I am , the 18th October is of course a wednesday and the monthly meeting at the mission. I just thought that as some of us are already there it might be useful to kick off the Friends of Mercy Mission, I am happy to faciliate and organise this meeting and see where it takes us. As I said its short notice and maybe we will have to have another meeting later in the month or next month but we will see what respose we get. Sorry about the confusion, totally my fault, I am going of now to lie down in a dark room!

[Mobi]

No spark of interest to get the ball rolling?

Come on guys

[Mossfinn]

Hi Mobi,

I am making a flying visit to Pattaya late Oct and would like to visit the Mission, if that would be O.K?

But I can't find an address or a map on the web-site, I think you posted one way back in one of the early threads, have you still got it available?

Cheers

Moss

[Mobi]

Hi Mobi,

I am making a flying visit to Pattaya late Oct and would like to visit the Mission, if that would be O.K?

But I can't find an address or a map on the web-site, I think you posted one way back in one of the early threads, have you still got it available?

Cheers

Moss

Hi Moss,

If you click on the Mercy site:

www.mercypattaya.org

Then click on contacts, then map.

or you can click directly on:

http://www.mercypattaya.org/contact/map_vfc.jpg

PM me if you need further directions.

Thanks for your interest.

Mobi

[Mossfinn]

PM me if you need further directions.

Mobi

Thanks Mobi, I don't know how I missed it first time round?

I don't know Pattaya very well so I may need further directions nearer the time.

Moss

[kayo]

Hi mobi. I am currently, as I think you are aware, in the South of France, where I grew up.

My Mam happens to be friends with the local french doctor who is the honorary consul for the Thai's here nearby, in Monaco.

His staff are all thai, and know just about every thai person living here (many living/married rather well here, as you may imagine)

So I was just showing the mother this the site and I we had some ideas about putting some sort of advertising for the project in some of the local thai restaurants and at the Consulate in Monaco itself, too.

On a side note, a number of the married women here are from Pattaya area themselves.

Any thoughts?

I hear Monte Carlo cash registers ringing generously.

Perhaps we could toss around some emails tomorrow, you and I, and see what comes of it. You have my address, but if I am up early, I'll do a draft and send it to you.

[Mobi]

Hi mobi. I am currently, as I think you are aware, in the South of France, where I grew up.

My Mam happens to be friends with the local french doctor who is the honorary consul for the Thai's here nearby, in Monaco.

His staff are all thai, and know just about every thai person living here (many living/married rather well here, as you may imagine)

So I was just showing the mother this the site and I we had some ideas about putting some sort of advertising for the project in some of the local thai restaurants and at the Consulate in Monaco itself, too.

On a side note, a number of the married women here are from Pattaya area themselves.

Any thoughts?

I hear Monte Carlo cash registers ringing generously.

Perhaps we could toss around some emails tomorrow, you and I, and see what comes of it. You have my address, but if I am up early, I'll do a draft and send it to you.

Hi Kayo,

Sounds like you might have the basis of a good idea going here.

I have been convinced for some time that the solution to all the centre's problems is to mobilise fund raising from outside of Thailand - indeed most of their large donations come from overseas, and even with my little efforts, most of the big ones came from the UK.

I will PM you later to continue this.

Thanks Kayo

Mobi.

[pepsi666]

No spark of interest to get the ball rolling?

Come on guys

Can I help out on this ?

Same as last time, Mobi ?

[kayo]

I like your quote.... the last part... Pepsi666. I'm in the middle right now, i hope, moving towards the first part of it.

[pepsi666]

I like your quote.... the last part... Pepsi666. I'm in the middle right now, i hope, moving towards the first part of it.

I'm in the second part (foolish, but have managed to grown out of the first part, young )

My missus says I will never attain the rest...........old and wise

Edited October 18, 2006 by pepsi666

[jasperblubber2005]

mobi

maybe you or one of the others who have contributed to this thread can help, i finally moved to pattaya and i rented a motorcycle recently, yesterday i went to the mission with little diffeculty ( i'm living on beach road and went to naklua market to sukhumwit to the center) coming back was a nightmare, there is no way that my motorcycle (its small) can go from the curb to the center lane so that i can turn right on one of the main roads, the only way i got home yesterday was to travel along the slow lane until i got to central road, the light was red so i weaved through cars that were stopped until i reached the turn lane and once the light changed i was able to turn right and get home.

i am looking for a corner that would allow me to turn left at an intersection with a signal then make a u-turn and cross sukhumwit and get home, getting a car is not in my plans, do you have a suggestion, crossing this street appears to be suicide and i will not repeat what i did yesterday, do you or one of the other readre have a suggestion

jasper