collecting memories --the Lions club health check camp.

It is time I wrote about the real purpose of my trip to Supahnburi. It was to volunteer at the health check camp that the Lions club have been arranging for many years. While it is hard work, the organisers with years of experience have fine tuned the system and the camp runs like a well oiled machine. The camp handles between 3000 to 4000 patients during the day. Actually, the process of organising starts three months prior to the camp and continues for another three months until all the patients in need of medical care are treated. It surely is not a day's work!

While we went sightseeing, the organisers were busy setting up the facilities at the school where the camp was to be held the next day. I learnt from Rikhi later that things went well except that they had to cut down some branches of the trees at the school to enable the tall tourist buses to pass.

I had attended the last year's camp and had written a blog about it. I had no specific tasks to perform then except to take pictures. This year was different as I was assigned to take pictures of all the patients who were diagnosed with problems and needed further treatment.

I was also happy to contribute indirectly through my friend Balaji, Production Consultant of URC, manufacturers of the well known JACK'nJILL brand of Biscuits and sweets. The company donated many boxes of Biscuits to be distributed amongst the patients and volunteers at our request. A very generous gesture on the part of Kuhn Premchai, General Manager and the Marketing Manager Keerati.

I am happy that Balaji came to see the camp and mailed us his impressions.

' Dear Nidhi Sir, Rikhi : Thank you for inviting me to the " Free Medical Camp " last Sunday. This was one of my finest experiences of something of this "magnitude". I was touched by the gratitude shown by the Lion club members to all the Thousands for whom the camp was organized. A very Noble gesture indeed. Thank you Rikhi for being such a wonderful Host. I went back home with a lot of "learnings" from this huge event. Three cheers to THE LIONS CLUB OF ERAWAN. ... BALAJI'.

He also took some pictures for me and I am thankful for his comments and the pictures and thus making my job so much easier!

While it is a great team effort on the part of many, the Lions club members were nice to tell me that they appreciated the fact that Indians were participating. They also said they have great admiration for Rikhi, specially for his efforts in bringing Indians to the camp and also for collecting large sums of money from so many others. They said 'He has the Power'. I can only add: 'more power to him in his efforts to do good and also for creating a very good impression of the Indians living here among Thais'.

The reception!

Dental treatment.

Balaji with the organisers.

Rikhi distributing the Jack 'n Jill Biscuits

Nidhi with Rikhi and Balaji for a well earned veg lunch.

Nidhi at work.

Happy to pose for a picture.

Nidhi, though a senior in age, was actually a junior member of the team!

It was a delight to work with these ever smiling girls. I wish I could have taken a video to show how well the patients were managed and always with a genuine smile. They were quick to react to the needs of the patients with gentle humor and understanding while making sure that the weaker and older ones always had a chair to sit. In fact no patient had to stand and wait for too long. While very methodical, they were also having fun as they worked continuously till the end of the day. They would also joke with the patients, take pictures with some of the older and cuter ones.

It is not just the patients, they took good care of me as well, offering me a drink or a snack periodically. So did the organisers who were constantly taking rounds. It is no wonder I lost track of time on that day!

Truly, this trip was very rewarding for me and is one of the best memories of our stay in Bangkok.