The Thursday Club - Project Santa '12.

It's fast approaching that time of the year again folks, and with just 8 weeks to go until Christmas I want to kick off Project Santa '12. This is to provide a Christmas gift bag for the poorest of the poor children who are sick and injured, new mums and babies, and premature babies who will be in the Provincial Hospital during the Festive season. Our target again this year is for 150 gift bags with a variety of contents depending on the age of the child. The figure that we are aiming to raise is 30,000 pesos, which represents just 200 pesos per child. I can account for every peso that is donated and spent, and I emphasise once again that nothing is ever taken out in "expenses", we cover those ourselves. I guarantee that 100% of what is given is spent on what it is given for.

Our similar project last year was a huge success and was also a learning curve for us. This year, drawing on the experiences of last year, should be even better, as last year Sendong happened during our preparations. Last year we had a few gift bags left over, which in its' own way was a little fortunate, as we were able to give those to some of the Sendong victims, and also spent the little money left over on their emergency relief which was the catalyst to eventually raise almost 300,000 pesos for that cause. But let's hope that Sendong Mk2 doesn't happen this year.

We know that some of these children will not see another Christmas; we know also that many of these children have never known a proper Christmas, and certainly not the type of Christmas that we take for granted. It's a bad enough situation for these kids to be just dirt poor, they were born into poverty and are therefore victims of it; but compound that with being in hospital, it's Christmas, they are frightened, and they are in pain from sickness and disease, broken limbs, burns and scalds. The amazed smile on the face of a needy child, or an exhausted new mother, when Santa hands them a present is just priceless. So please help us to make it a special day and not just another day.

Our very own Santa Bill did a magnificent job last year and he has vowed to excel himself this year. The kitty has 4471 peso in it at the moment. How high can we go ?

Thanks in advance

Roger

 

Sounds like a worthy cause

Last year I did not donate because I was somewhat new here, and did not know where to send/put a donation. I would like not to be in that position again this year but unless I am missing something there is no designated place to donate money in your announcement.

 

For those who wonder what it is about, follow this link about last years Project Santa:

http://www.dumagueteinfo.com/board/photo-board/project-santa-thursday-club-9921.html

 

Dave, thanks for your interest. You can make your donation to any one of us. If you see me, Rechel, Rhoody etc in town or the mall or Boulevard we will accept your donation. If you make it to them, they will pass it on to me (as treasurer). I will issue a receipt and get it to you one way or the other. Alternatively, if you or anyone else want to make your donation face to face, just let me know where and when and I will be there. I will, of course, respect any request for anonymity if that is what the donor prefers.

 

Last year I met Pat O in Robinsons to do what I could to help.

 

Oops! Thanks Ron. Missed Pat off of the list. Yes, PatO will also accept any donations and pass them on to me.

 

Thank you, Roger, for this thread. I didn’t know a Thursday Club existed. I’m happy to know that there are members working hard towards such a worthy cause. I am more than willing to make a donation but find it a bit difficult to do so as I am currently out of the country. I do have a cousin who lives in Dumaguete and I was thinking about contacting her to pass the donation on for me.

Do you have any suggestions as to how I might go about making a donation? Perhaps you could give me some info in a private message? Or perhaps you could suggest another way? I’m all ears…

I’m sure there are a lot of newer expats who would like to make a donation to help ease the suffering of children but are a bit confused as to how to go about doing it. Personally, I haven’t met any of the other expats, and as few DI members post pictures of themselves, I don’t know what the members of the Thursday Club look like (except for Rechel).

A suggestion for future reference: Perhaps it would be easier to have a fixed address with a fixed schedule (not necessarily your home address; I can see the dangers of posting that on a forum) where people could go to drop off their payments or send their checks to. You could probably end up with more donations this way. I don’t know my way around Dumaguete much so I don’t know whether this would be feasible. Just an idea…feel free to lambast me if it’s a stupid one…

Angela

 

Angela, last year we had members from the UK wiring donations to us via Western Union. Also, I am in town or at the mall nearly every day and can meet donors at their convenience. Thank you.

 

Angela, thanks for your input. No need to lambast you and I don't consider your idea to be a stupid one by any means. Suggestions to improve are always welcome and very often helpful. Your idea was considered previously but I went against it for two reasons.

Firstly, a fixed address other than a home address would invariably mean a business address, and, in the absence of any board member, the business owner would become responsible for the safe keeping of any donations, which is an imposition on him/her.
Secondly, a fixed address might imply that it is the registered address of an official charity, which we are not. We are just a group of people who feel that we can do some charitable deeds for those who need it most. We don't actively canvass for funds (like rattling charity boxes begging for donations); we keep everyone informed of what we are doing via this Forum, and rely on peoples good will and generosity. That system has worked remarkably well up to now, so I am loathe to change it - if it aint broke then it don't need fixin'. If it looks like we may be short, or need a bit more for something, then I'll happily throw in a bit more, as I have no intention, eventually, of being the richest man in the graveyard !!!!!!!

But many thanks for your suggestion and for your appreciation. If you come up with any other good ideas then don't keep them to yourself, let us know.

Roger

 

Update.

In the last two days, while journeying through the mall, I have had two donations of 1000 peso and one donation of 1500 peso handed to me; many thanks to those three guys, all of whom want no fuss and wish to remain anonymous.

The kitty now stands at 7971 peso and rising.