Pattaya Gay Festival was formed in November 2000 by a group of businessmen headed by Jim Lumsden of the Ambiance Hotel in Boyz Town, Pattayaland Soi 3, Pattaya to raise funds for charitable purposes and has, since inception to the end of 2009, raised some B29 million. Recipients of Pattaya Pride donations include Naklua Drug Rehabilitation Centre, Bangpakong Home for the Disabled, SOS Rice, Rotary 1000 Bike Project, Ban Bung Juvenile Home, Take Care Safe Sex Project, The Mercy Centre, Jing Jai Orphanage, Thais4Life, and Pattaya School No.8 as well as the principal beneficiary ‘The HEARTT 2000 Foundation’ (Help Ensure AIDS Rescue Together in Thailand) www.heartt2000.org. This organisation, founded and run by Dr Philippe Seur, treats, cares for and gives a quality extended life for allmost two thousand Thai HIV and AIDS infected patients requiring a great deal of imported and expensive overseas drugs where no cheaper generics are available in Thailand.
At the end of 2009 it was decided to change the name of ‘Pattaya Gay Festival’ to ‘Pattaya Pride’ as it was felt that this name was more inkeeping with similar organisations around the world and to also reflect that we are Proud to be gay and here in Pattaya.
To raise funds for charity, Pattaya Pride holds various events throughout the year. Every Thai Baht raised is used for charitable donations and none of these funds are used for administration purposes. All members of the Pattaya Pride committee donate their time free of charge and there are no management costs. Events and listings are covered on the very popular Pattaya Pride web site ‘www.pattayapride.com’ which has a monthly page hit of over 20,000. You can advertise on the website for as little as B5,000 for the year 2010. This includes a link to your own website, and while these advertising funds are a donation to Pattaya Pride, the exposure of your business to the many thousands of people throughout the world makes the placing of the advert worthwhile in its own right. In addition, at the end of each year (February through to January) donors are given a certificate from Pattaya Pride acknowledging their contribution which they can proundly display in their premises. Business houses are also welcome to hold fund raising events with a cover charge, or some other fee or raffle, for donation to Pattaya Pride. Some also donate a percentage of the takings from the event.
If you do not wish to advertise on the website, donations in cash or kind are always welcome. We hold raffles at most of the events and are always looking for gifts to be given as prizes. Prize donors are always acknowledged at the event where the gift is won. All donations are gratefully received and will also be acknowledged at the event unless we are requested not to acknowledge the source. |
Pattaya Gay Festival 2009
Chairman’s Report
On behalf of the PGF Organizing Committee, I would like to welcome you to the 2009 Annual General Meeting. It has been my honour to serve as Chairman again for this our ninth year.
We expected that 2009 would be a very difficult year for the Pattaya Gay Festival’s fund raising activities and unfortunately we were right. In fact we experienced the lowest level of fund raising since the festivals inception
In order to hopefully increase the number of participants who could hold fund raising activities, it was decided to eliminate the member fees and replace this with wholly voluntary advertising on the PGF web site, leaving it open to anyone who wanted to hold a fundraising function for the PGF to do so without having to have paid a membership.
Jim Lumsden ran his heart out for us again this year completing the 26 mile Pattaya Marathon and raising sponsorship of four hundred thousand Baht.
We would like to give special recognition and thanks to Dame Ruby ( also known a Ron Weston), Archie Dunlop and Neil Bernard whose generosity helped us greatly in a very poor fund raising year.
During this year we have given Dr. Phillip Seur of Heartt 2000 1.6 million Baht.
During the year we were also able to help Take Care, Thais4life for Baan Jing Jai, and Pattaya School.
This is the last year of the Pattaya Gay Festival. In 2010, like the phoenix, the PGF will rise out of the ashes as Pattaya Pride, into a hopefully much better year for all of us.
Thank you,
Richard Burk (Chairman 2009) |
