Thai Daughters thankful for community’s generosity
Chuck Koch won the $3,000 reverse raffle and generously donated his winnings to FTD’s program. Koch is shown here with FTD co-founders Jane McBride, far left, and Patty Zinkowski, center, and FTD “Daughters” Faii, Lek, Khai and Seeda. Courtesy of FTD
Chuck Koch won the $3,000 reverse raffle and generously donated his winnings to FTD’s program. Koch is shown here with FTD co-founders Jane McBride, far left, and Patty Zinkowski, center, and FTD “Daughters” Faii, Lek, Khai and Seeda. Courtesy of FTD
Two hundred and twenty people came together on Aug. 4 at the Friends of Thai Daughters (FTD) Sunflower Celebration in Damariscotta to support girls and young women at risk of being trafficked in Northern Thailand. The highlight of the night was meeting the FTD “Daughters” visiting the U.S. For Faii and Seeda this was their first trip outside of Northern Thailand where they live in Sunflower Houses and attend local schools as part of FTD’s program. They were joined by their older “sisters” and FTD program graduates Mee, Pui, Khai and Lek.
The band Zesty filled the dance floor and the community’s generosity shown bright as it matched a $10,000 matching gift from Kate and Bob Horgan ultimately raising $50,000 in support of education, safe houses and emotional support for Northern Thailand’s most vulnerable.
Thanks to community support like this, FTD’s program can continue to grow. Program graduates are now leaders in their communities and beyond, eliminating trafficking risk in many of their villages and breaking the cycle of poverty. For more information on the work of FTD, visit www.friendsofthaidaughters.org.
FTD wishes to thank the event sponsors Mexicali Blues; Gallagher, Villeneuve & DeGeer; The First; Morning Dew Farm; Split Rock Distilling; Topside Inn; Oxbow Brewing; Mook Sea Farm; Country Coach Charters; Long Grain and Best Thai Restaurants. The Celebration would not have been possible without the financial support of sponsors and the dedicated and creative energy of the committee and event volunteers including Rosa Ergas; Kim Erskine; Janet Fowle; Adele Gale; Douglas Gimbel; Brady Hatch; Kate Horgan; Ellen James; Julie Lamy; Mark Lazzari; Hannah Meneses; Gail Nassif; Marianne Reynolds; Wendy and Paul Johnson; Marcia DeGeer; Kayla Mohammadi; Steve Peters; Crystal and Seth Lewis; Leslie Lorentzen; Melissa Williamson; Patti Corscaden; Cole and Max Wentworth; Amy Rogers; Caleb, Carly and Pete Erskine; Dorothy Peters; Lauren Moore; Laurie Green; Beth Dininio and Joe Hale; Ian and Ellen Ishkanian; Philippe Villard; Emma Stephens; Katie and Corrie Dretler; Patti Salvucci; Ozzie Crocco; Lynne Tucker; and Matt Hichborn.
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