 |
FERC Tour of
|
Steve Deering, the North America Representative of FERC from California, USA, recently led a group of supporters on a highly personalized tour of northern Thailand. The participants all support fund-raising efforts in the United States on behalf of the foundation, and were eager to see projects that the group has funded in Thailand as well as enjoy legendary Thai hospitality, shopping and sightseeing.
 An encounter with a monkey while on the FERC Tour 2008. |
FERC board members, volunteers and long-time supporters enjoyed meeting the tour participants during an evening of gumbo, red beans and rice, and white chocolate bread pudding – decidedly not Thai food – at the home of board members Frank Weicks and Becky Lomax. Tangerine Blue provided a taste of the Broadway review that they presented at Let Me Entertain You!, FERC’s annual fund-raiser which took place on November 22 at the Shangri-La Hotel. John Smith led off with a banjo solo, putting the crowd in the mood forMark Walder’s performance of the hilarious “Bar on the Picola Marina” by Noel Coward. Then Ong-Ard Kanchaisak’s lovely tenor voice soared with “La Vie en Rose”. Mark and Ong-Ard completed the program with a duet of “Puttin’ on the Ritz”.
Tour participants enjoyed cooking school, spa days, hiking adventures, visits to Doi Suthep, shopping, and visiting a FERC-funded site in Chiang Mai before they left to explore parts of Thailand further north. Ans and Joe Scholten entertained the group on their last night in Chiang Mai with a khantoke dinner in the garden of their lovely country home. In addition to traditional northern Thai food, they enjoyed traditional Thai music and dances performed by local school children.
Traveling north to the border, the group had the opportunity to stay at Doi Angkhang and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery and the experimental gardens of the Royal Projects, visit the Princess Mother’s lovely chalet-style home and gardens, and explore the mountainous tea-growing regions. In Chiang Rai, they were joined again by several board members as they made their way to Mae Sai. The group returned to California in time for a fund-raising event in early December. The tour combined the best of Thailand with unique opportunities to visit schools, day care centers, and children’s homes which have been funded by FERC.
Tour participants characterized the tour as “life changing”, “the best trip ever” and a “world class adventure” and commented that they felt they had received an insider’s view of Thailand that is not usually available to tourists.
 |
 |
| A visit to a north Thailand day care center | |
You may view the original announcement of the FERC Tour 2008.
copyright © 2001-2009 foundation for the education of rural children |
last updated: June 25, 2010 |