As part of PSC's regular School Lunch Programme conducted in concert with the YWCA ladies I visit most of the poorer Schools in our area. Each month a different needy school is selected to benefit the usual format is to supply all the children with a healthy meal, some entertainment and donate useful items needed by the particular School. These visits give me the opportunity to check the progress of children benefiting from our Scholarship Programmes, assess the benefit to the schools of recent projects we have carried out [water installations new out buildings computer rooms, sports equipment team sponsorships and the like] as well as evaluate the need and the cost of new applications for assistance.

It was at a recent visit to one such School that the luncheon had to be carried out in relays with many of the children taking there food to squat under trees and on pathways as there was insufficient room in the canteen area. Later chatting to the School Director Khun Chalee I discovered that the school; had almost 400 students and the existing facilities were designed and built when the student numbers were less than 200 so it was no wonder there was some overcrowding. As it turned out they had plans prepared to replicate the exiting facility on land adjacent but lacked the funds to carry out the work. I was able to leave that day with a copy of the plans and a quote for the construction.

To get another quote to present to the exec I called Woody Pres of the Jesters to ask if their builder might be interested in quoting. While I outlined the project to Woody he suggested that the Jesters could be interested in supporting the project. The result of all this was that his builder came up with a very good quote and we both knew the standard of his work, his committee had agreed to come in with PSC on a 50/50 basis, the PSC exec adopted the project at it's next meeting so it was all systems go. The total cost of the building including the supply of the required amount of tables and chairs was B 360,000.00 and was shared equally between PSC and The Jesters. The construction was completed in late November but the opening delayed while some drainage and cleaning up around the site took place. The canteen at school Pinjam is now fully functional and all parties happy with the outcome.

This is not the first time that Pattaya Sports Club has worked in concert with The Jesters Care 4 Kids and I expect that their will be more occasions in the future. It shows the value to the community of like minded groups working together to achieve what could be too much for one group or one budget.