Rotarians and children alike were not daunted by a massive power blackout when they gathered at Prince of Songkla University on Tuesday, 6 June for the formal presentation of water filters arising from the White Water Gala fund raiser earlier this year.
The scene was set for around 300 people in a large lecture room at the University. The deputy governor had arrived, 300 filters had been assembled, many of them on the stage. School children, parents, friends, university staff and Rotarians were all set.
On 30 May students from PSU and Child Watch assembled the filters.
Then the lights went out.
Showing quick initiative Jimmy and Peter Harris, along with University staff quickly transferred all 300 filters down the stairs to an area below where the ceremony continued under lights from cell phones. Children all pitched in to remount the filters onstage.
After a colourful dance, without music, from students of Kathu Witthaya School, about the importance of ran and water Deputy Governor Teera Anantasithhiyawit officially opened the ceremony, outlining through an interpreter the importance of having clean drinking water and how the filters would help families and schools.
President Richard then explained the purpose of the scholarships RCoPB gives out to six schools on Phuket. He presented several large cheques from our club to various schools. The scholarship programme has been helping Phuket children since the Tsunami in 2004. Cheques for B175,000; B10,000 and B2000 were presented.
OB outlined the background to the fund raising for the filters and the importance of them being used. Then 250 filters were distributed. The university kept 50 for its own use. Large lines of recipients lined up to receive them from a line-up that included the governor, Rotarians Richard, OB, Andy, Debra, Jimmy and Peter plus family university faculty members.
Peter subsequently got busy to show the recipients how to put the filters together. Six schools on Phuket are the main recipients of the filters.
And still the lights stayed off.
A great example of Rotarians and Puketians succeeding under difficult circumstances.