The Chiang Mai ToyRide June 18, 2011 10:30AM

[Guest]

The Chiang Mai ToyRide June 18, 2011 10:30AM

Please RSVP: info@chiangmaitoyride.com

The Chiang Mai ToyRide is having a Give Away Event on June 18, 2011. We will ride from Tesco Lotus (Super Highway), departing at 10:30AM, to an orphans home in Doi Saket.

This home is literally just a house rented with money from individual donations, which houses 35 orphaned Hmong, Lisu and Karen children. Even so. the home is kept neat and clean, and the children are well cared for, as we discovered on a surprise survey visit. Their ages range from 4 years old to 12 years of age.


The Chiang Mai ToyRide has already provided new school shoes so that the children could start the school year without facing the stigma of not having proper shoes to wear. The CMTR has also purchased 10 bunk beds and mattresses, blankets and some wardrobes, which have already been delivered.


On June 18, we will bring toys, games and educational material to the children and have a small party along with our CMTR Clowns. Come and join us. If you wish to contribute additional items or toys for the children, please do. If not, just come along for the fun and to show the children some support and that people do care.


All sizes and types of motorcycles are welcome. If we have enough interest we may do an afternoon ride after the event. This is rain or shine, so meet us in the parking lot of Tesco Lotus near the Super Highway exit area.

If you can confirm that you will attend, it will help us with our preparations. See you there.

 

[Steve Canyon]

How did it go????

 

[Lone Rider]

It went as usual very well with some 30 people participating but, as I had to leave after only 10 minutes or so as my friend from Bangkok decided to visit me on very short notice, I did not take any pictures. During the ride there were some misunderstandings with 1 rider ending up on Doi Suthep instead of Doi Saket and myself with another rider taking the wrong turn and arriving at the Home when things were starting but otherwise no mishaps and at the end a bunch of very happy kids.

There is a report with lots of pictures as well as some background information on the Orphan Home in Doi Saket and what was provided to the Home (bunk-beds, wardrobes, blankets, shoes, etc.) on the ToyRide website: http://chiangmaitoyride.com/?cat=90

 

[KTMphil]

My daughter had a dance show, so we wern't able to attend, from the photo's looks like another well done project, congrats to Rob & Dave for organizing it.

photo: CMTR website

 

[Steve Canyon]

Well as long as the Kids enjoyed themselves that's about all hat matters..

Great to see something being given back to the less fortunate...

 

[singaporedream]

just wondering other than toys and some education materials and cash, what did the children gain?

will the children hope for more of it?

os this toy run an aussie thinggy?

questions questions....

 

[Lone Rider]

just wondering other than toys and some education materials and cash, what did the children gain?

will the children hope for more of it?

os this toy run an aussie thinggy?

questions questions....

Yeah, agree with your comments as I have been thinking about that as well but on the other hand it is not only toys what is being given. In this case beds, wardrobes, shoes, etc. were provided as well. Have a look at the Chiangmai Toy ride website http://chiangmaitoyride.com/?cat=90 to see what else was done.

 

[singaporedream]

just wondering other than toys and some education materials and cash, what did the children gain?

will the children hope for more of it?

os this toy run an aussie thinggy?

questions questions....

Yeah, agree with your comments as I have been thinking about that as well but on the other hand it is not only toys what is being given. In this case beds, wardrobes, shoes, etc. were provided as well. Have a look at the Chiangmai Toy ride website http://chiangmaitoyride.com/?cat=90 to see what else was done.

thanks Lone Rider.

what was the feedback from the children. what do they hope to have or to be? does this toy run originated from australia?

 

[Steve Canyon]

just wondering other than toys and some education materials and cash, what did the children gain?

will the children hope for more of it?

Don't really understand what you mean guys...

they look happy with what they got...

:!:

 

[Ally]

Goh I personally think you raise a good point.

Witnessing groups & individuals making donations to local organisations here in Thailand, the same question is often asked by people who are interested in the real issues underlying the immediate problem.

I am not connected with the toy ride folks but I do believe their approach is quite a sensible one. They look to provide sustainable benefit rather than a quick fix or "here is a toy to make the children happy" that we see so much of.

A cuddly toy or a bag of food is all very nice, it represents an emotion of giving something to another and for the short term, the child receiving it may well smile and express some happiness. The giver can feel elated they have helped and often walk away thinking all is well.

But it doesn't satisfy so many other missed issues such as education, hygiene, mental & physical health, let alone security or future prospects for the children.

CM ToyRide primarily deliver infrastructure gifts but sadly people focus more on the images of clowns giving knotted balloons and piles of cuddly toys than the variety of other valuable gifts they provide such as water tanks, blankets, athletic equipment, medical supplies, mosquito screens etc.

The list is hard to immediately find on their website but these are a few that are visible in their pages.


Ally

 

[Steve Canyon]

I'm getting it now......

I wouldn't have thought that to many of the kids think about the real issues...perhaps there to young to worry about such things. A days fun is probably a more interesting than the real issues.

Looking at the kids faces I would say they had a jolly good day and probably went to bed that night very worn out and happy..... :G

Should we be looking beyond the children's faces and the kind gestures of those who took part...

I send school stuff to the school in my wife's village, books pens pencils etc, it's not an orphanage but a village school with limited resources....

Long may people keep giving.......

Perhaps RA should think about doing some thing....

 

[Hoghead]

I am the Co-Chairman of the Chiang Mai ToyRide.
The concept is that Bikers get together for a main fund raising charity ride, bringing along a new toy to donate at the end of the ride. During the year we have several "give away rides' like you see in this post to distribute the toys donated and funds raised via Corporate and Individual Sponsors.

No it is not an Auzzie thing, and while several other western countries have Toy Rides, I brought the idea from my biking experience in Canada where they have a huge Toy Ride in Vancouver every year prior to Christmas. The concept of a ToyRide is new to Asia in general, and Thailand in particular and there is still a lot of work to be done to educate the Thai biking community about this charitable concept. Our bigger job is to get Thai companies to buy into the concept, show some CSR, and donate to charities - this has proven a tough battle to date.

It is not just about toys, and our mission statement is:
* To bring together motorcyclists of all nationalities in support of children in need living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
* To raise money, gifts and other items through charitable motorcycling events focusing on children who may otherwise be forgotten
* Our specific intent is to focus on events and donations which will put a smile on the childrens face and instill a sense of self confidence and assurance. The Chiang Mai ToyRide will also contribute to health and welfare needs in specific situations.
* The Chiang Mai ToyRide will operate with complete transparency as a true charitable organization and assure that all available assets are directed toward our mission.

As pointed out, the toys are the most visible part of what we do, and to most of these kids it is the first and perhaps only toy they have ever received. Just to see the look on their faces is worth the effort to put on this event. We have a main fundraising ride once a year, and the toys you see being given away are donated by the riders on the main ride. Donating toys is not the only thing we do, nor arguably the most important. We also have corporate and individual Sponsors, and we use this all of this money raised to improve the lives of these children by donating long term items like you see in the orphanage pics in this post.

Our next "give away" ride is after rainy season and will be the first offroad ride to a small village near Mae Taeng. We will leave the street bikes at the road and run the last 14 Km to the village in trucks, and while the locals do it on a Wave, dirt or dual purpose bikes can make it no problem. There are about 40 kids in a very small school that the government funds to a very generous 120 B per child/year. Needles to say there is nothing left over for real education. We will be buying them new school desks, storage lockers for school supplies, books, big maps, educational posters for the walls, stationery items, sporting equipment, and naturally a toy for each child. The date is yet to be finalized but please keep an eye on our website for more details.
The main ride day is yet to be set, but will be the end of Jan or early Feb.

Please see our website http://www.chiangmaitoyride.com for more pics and a better idea of what we do.
There is also Sponsor and donation info on this website, should you see your way clear to helping improve the lives of these kids.

We thank all our Corporate Sponsors for giving us the wherewithal to make this all happen, and I note that Riders Corner is one such Sponsor

 

[Steve Canyon]

Nice to meet you HH...

Keep up the good work..... :RO

 

[singaporedream]

toy run is good.

keep it up.

i met some guys in xyz country, they devote themself in charity work. when i sit down together, these guys were more concerned about their own satisfaction when they give to people that needed help. that means they want to do charity work because it makes them feel good.

sorry, i am very green and in-experience in all these charity event. can you guys advise me?

how can we help these people to be self-sustainable in long term? if we can achive this, we can use this system all over the world.

advise.


goh

 

[dellboy218]

Well said Hog Head.

To SingaporeDream
Of course there is the feel good factor when you join in with something like the Toyride. If it didnt make one feel good then the numbers attending would be rather limited. It is difficult not to gain some satisfaction when you can put a smile on young kids faces. Satisfaction that you have made a difference. It works for me. This feeling of self satisfaction is not a crime which you appear to believe it is nor is it the prime mover but rather as a result of ones efforts by being involved. I am not sure what you expect a 3 year old to do with his self sustainability, I think at that age, something to eat and somewhere safe to sleep is more important.

Please read Hog Heads response more carefully. He says the Toyride is to help 'Children in need.' These are children that probably have to rely totally on charity for their daily existence. I am sure Hog Head will correct me if I am wrong but this is not a charity to 'save the world.' What you may not have seen was the bunk beds purchased so the kids did not have to sleep on the floor or the new shoes and socks the kids went to school with, their only shoes and socks. If you look at the website provided by Hog Head it is fully explained. Whilst you may see photographs of people enjoying themselves there is hard work going on in the background to organise it all which is never publicised.

To KTM Chris
Yes they did look happy and very big smiles when they got a short ride on the bikes.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Yes they did look happy and very big smiles when they got a short ride on the bikes

A job well done.....lots of happy children... :RO

Got any pictures old chap....

 

[dellboy218]

Not too many and those are already posted elsewhere but as you asked...........There are a lot more and better photographs as well as better information on the reason why this orphanage was visited and what help was given prior to the day on the Toy Ride website provided by Hog Head in his previous post.

 

[singaporedream]

Well said Hog Head.

To SingaporeDream
Of course there is the feel good factor when you join in with something like the Toyride. If it didnt make one feel good then the numbers attending would be rather limited. It is difficult not to gain some satisfaction when you can put a smile on young kids faces. Satisfaction that you have made a difference. It works for me. This feeling of self satisfaction is not a crime which you appear to believe it is nor is it the prime mover but rather as a result of ones efforts by being involved. I am not sure what you expect a 3 year old to do with his self sustainability, I think at that age, something to eat and somewhere safe to sleep is more important.

Please read Hog Heads response more carefully. He says the Toyride is to help 'Children in need.' These are children that probably have to rely totally on charity for their daily existence. I am sure Hog Head will correct me if I am wrong but this is not a charity to 'save the world.' What you may not have seen was the bunk beds purchased so the kids did not have to sleep on the floor or the new shoes and socks the kids went to school with, their only shoes and socks. If you look at the website provided by Hog Head it is fully explained. Whilst you may see photographs of people enjoying themselves there is hard work going on in the background to organise it all which is never publicised.

To KTM Chris
Yes they did look happy and very big smiles when they got a short ride on the bikes.

thanks for your advice!

 

[dellboy218]

Good Morning Singapore Dream
Not advice but just a suggestion. Things are not quite the same here as Singapore. Being a regular visitor to Singapore over the past 40 years I have watched its development. In fact, I should be there next month. If you would like a Toy Ride Tee shirt I could bring one, I believe they are 250b these days or about 10.5 Sing. That money goes to the charity. I will include one more photo that you would probably never see in Singapore. It is from a nursery just outside Chiang Mai visited last year. Again it does not show the more important items donated by the charity but just the toys, probably the only toys they have ever had. If you look at the structure it is bare breeze blocks and bamboo, the cheapest possible structure. The kids however are well turned out and the place clean. It makes the orphanage look like a luxury pad.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Thanks for the photos DB.....

Lots of happy Children.....

 

[singaporedream]

Good Morning Singapore Dream
Not advice but just a suggestion. Things are not quite the same here as Singapore. Being a regular visitor to Singapore over the past 40 years I have watched its development. In fact, I should be there next month. If you would like a Toy Ride Tee shirt I could bring one, I believe they are 250b these days or about 10.5 Sing. That money goes to the charity. I will include one more photo that you would probably never see in Singapore. It is from a nursery just outside Chiang Mai visited last year. Again it does not show the more important items donated by the charity but just the toys, probably the only toys they have ever had. If you look at the structure it is bare breeze blocks and bamboo, the cheapest possible structure. The kids however are well turned out and the place clean. It makes the orphanage look like a luxury pad.

hi!

nursery as in a place for children or flowers?

singaporean don't travel much. only for short holidays and spend money like.... but there are a number of people still see things differently, especially when they travelled and know what happened out of their comfort zone.

singaporeans are hurt by charity. it's hard to tell them about giving. a few incident that had disappointed us:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_K ... re_scandal

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/ ... 70/1/.html

just a few to mention.

if u are coming after our presidential election, i would love to meet u.

goh

 

[dellboy218]

Good Morning SD
I think I understand how you feel about charities. After travelling all over the world for 40 years I have seen so much wasted and thrown away. The UN being one of the worst. I will PM the rest later to save clogging the forum up on unrelated matters.