May 31, 2011 Dear Friend of Thailand, I hope you all had a lovely ...

May 31, 2011
Dear Friend of Thailand,
I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Day weekend! Read on to learn what has
been happening these past weeks.
Thanks,
Carolyn
In today’s FoT Update, you will find
• FRIENDS OF THAILAND’S THAI KINGDOM DINNER- Friday,
September 23, 2011
• PEACE CORPS BASH – Saturday, September 24, 2011, 7 p.m. to 11. p.m.
• NEWLY-FUNDED PCV PROJECTS
• CONTRIBUTING to the FoT PROJECT FUND
• AARON WILLIAMS, May 21, 2011
• 21st ANNUAL WEST REGIONAL RPCV CAMPOUT, August 4-7,
2011, Idaho City, ID
• LOOKING for RPCV BILL WALKER
FRIENDS OF THAILAND’S THAI KINGDOM DINNER- Friday, September
23, 2011
We have had a few cancellations in the past week, so there are a limited number
of seats now available for the Friends of Thailand dinner at the Thai Kingdom
Restaurant during the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps in Washington DC. As
you know, it will be held on Friday, September 23, 2011, from 7-10 pm and will
feature a set menu and a cash bar. If you would like to attend, please let me
know ASAP by completing the form below and sending via return E-Mail. The
price is $30 for current, paying FoT members and $40 for non-members.
We would also request that you send a check to cover the total amount for you
and any guests who may accompany you by June 25, 2011, to:
Friends of Thailand
c/o Carolyn Nickels-Cox
1418 Striped Bass Street, Unit D
San Francisco, CA 94130
Thai Kingdom Dinner Reservation Form (to be sent by return e-mail)

Name: _________________________
Group Number: _______
Number of non-FoT members to attend the FoT dinner at Thai Kingdom at $40
per person _____ for a total of $ _____
TOTAL to be sent by May 29, 2011: __________
PEACE CORPS BASH – Saturday, September 24, 2011, 7 p.m. to 11. p.m.
If you were wondering what to do on Saturday evening during Peace Corps’
50th Anniversary celebration in Washington DC, here’s an alternative to the
NPCA’s Gala fundraiser.
The Great 3rd Goal Bash, sponsored by the non-profit Peace Corps Fund (
http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/ ) that supports Third Goal projects
conducted by RPCVs and RPCV groups, will be held on Saturday evening,
September 24, 2011, 7 p.m. to 11. p.m., in the Smith Center of George
Washington University, located in downtown Washington, D.C.
At the Bash there will be a Raffle with 50+ prizes being raffled off. Some of the
prizes are:
GRAND PRIZE — Visit your ”Country of Service”
2 Round Trip Airline Tickets on Delta
1 week hotel stay in an international hotel chain
Value: $5,000
FIRST PRIZE— Parisian Pied-a-Terre
Spend a week living in Paris living the Parisian life in a charming, antique-filled
one bedroom, one bath apartment on the Left Bank, just steps from Notre Dame
and within easy walking distance to the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Eiffel
Tour and many other attractions. The apartment is located in the chic Fifth
Arrondissement, with many nearby restaurants, open air markets and shops.
Comfortably accommodates a couple or a family of up to four. Subject to
availability and must be used by December 31, 2012. This is a 1 (one) week stay.
Value: $2,000
SECOND PRIZE — Marriott Hotels - One week stay in India
This package includes stays in 3 difference cities in India
Value: $1,200

Additional prizes include airline tickets, Walt Disney World Tickets, Weekend
Getaways, National restaurant , retail and guest services gift cards and more….
Raffle Tickets will be
$25 each
5 tickets for $100
50+5 (55) tickets for $1,000
The Peace Corps Fund Raffle Drawing will take place on Saturday evening,
beginning at 9:00 pm during The Great 3rd Goal Bash.
In the next few weeks, we will go live with a new website about the Third Goal
Bash, what entertainment we’re having, and the special ’happenings’ at this
event to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps.
Meanwhile, get your ticket to the Third Goal Bash.
To buy a $33 ticket to the Third Goal Bash (and we have limited space) write a
check made out to Peace Corps Fund and send it to:
Matt Losak
1001 Spring St, Apt 316
Silver Spring MD 20910
Children under 18 are FREE, so bring the kids!
There will be adult beverages and hor d’ourves — salty & sweet! Dancing to
ethnic music, entertainment, and the Raffle!
NEWLY-FUNDED PCV PROJECTS
The Friends of Thailand Board of Directors recently approved the following PCV
projects for funding.
Community-Based Recycle Bank
This very ambitious project will assist Nong Luang School in Ubon Province in
establishing a recycling program to benefit the community, the school and the
students. FoT has transferred 45,725 Baht for this fine effort.
To learn more about the recycle bank, go to
http://www.friendsofthailand.org/projectsponsorship/projects2011/03Jeff/mai
n.html
Ban Yaang Community Playground, Saraburi

The PCV who wrote and submitted this proposal requested 49,230 Baht for the
Samrit Child Development Centers (Phimai, Korat) to construct playgrounds for
younger children at five of their centers. Community members, as well as the
Phimai Technical Vocational College, will assist the Centers in constructing the
playgrounds.
To learn more about the playgrounds, go to
http://www.friendsofthailand.org/projectsponsorship/projects2011/04Kat/ma
in.html
CONTRIBUTING to the FoT PROJECT FUND
Friends of Thailand always welcomes donations in any amount to its Project
Fund. If you would like to make a special donation to the Fund to assist with a
future PCV Project, please go to
http://www.friendsofthailand.org/donate/main.html
AARON WILLIAMS - Saturday, May 21, 2011
Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams was the commencement speaker at the
Monterey Institute of International Studies on May 21 in Monterey, CA.
Following that event, the Institute hosted a reception for the Director at a local
hotel. In attendance were graduates from the Institute, RPCVs from northern
and central California and Congressman Sam Farr, an RPCV (Colombia) and
perhaps the biggest friend Peace Corps has in Congress! Director Williams
speech was very inspirational, and his responses to various questions were
definitely positive, including my verbal invitation to the Peace Corps Thailand’s
50th Anniversary celebration in Bangkok next year. He indicated he would be
there (so did Congressman Farr). The Director is a wonderful leader, and I hope
all of you have a chance to meet him at some point, hopefully in Thailand next
summer.
21st ANNUAL WEST REGIONAL RPCV CAMPOUT, August 4-7, 2011,
Idaho City, ID
Hear tell, this is a great event and all who have attended over the years have had
a great time. If you would like more information about this year’s campout,
please go to
http://web.mac.com/twopats/peacecorpscampout2011
LOOKING for RPCV BILL WALKER
RPCV Carole Smith writes:

I had dinner this evening in Salem, Oregon, with a delightful Thai English
teacher from Sakon Nakhon, who is here in the U.S. on a short-term teacher
training program. She became an English teacher after being inspired and
encouraged by her PCV teacher in the early 1970s. She would like to
connect with her teacher Bill and thank him for his influence on her life. She
has two daughters, and both of them were AFS students -- one in Wisconsin
and the other in Indiana.
The Volunteer's name is William (Bill) E. Walker from California. He
served within the time frame 1970-72.
Can you put this information out to Friends of Thailand in some
way? Hopefully this teacher/student pair with be able to reconnect.
If you have any contact information about William/Bill Walker, please let me
know and I will proceed.