Carlo from The Handlebar and his involvement with Charlie's Children's Charity

This Saturday is the one day a year the boys from the orphan home near Naraconsitamarat get a day off and are brought to The Beach by Charlie’s Children’s Charity. It is a fantastic day for them and for us too!   

My small part of this is to help out the little I can by collecting clothes and shoes from the good people of Koh Phangan. From the bar we run on the island we also have a donation box where we collect cash money.

From this money we normally never give cash but ask what the people/kids need and we will supply the best we can.  

This year we have donated the same as we did last year, about 320 sets of new underwear for the kids all bought with donations made here in The Handle Bar.      

I first learned about Charlie's Charity about 3 years ago, we were on a bike trip and passed by Charlie's place in Khanom where we shared a bottle of Jack Daniels over many words.

Charlie told me stories that were not easy to believe, among them about the one or two times a year he would go to the local home for the mentally handicapped and from his own pocket bring them a meal (around 400 people fed) of the best Thai food he could provide.

At the same time he brings truck loads of second hand clothing and shoes, he told me about the conditions they live under, he really touched my heart. I decided that I would try to help, and the next time Charlie went I joined him.

This was a life changing experience for me and the few friends that went with me and my wife. I will never be able to go again, I was shaken to my bones but it made me realise that we can make a huge difference with even small means.                

We started collecting here on Koh Phangan with help from local Bikers, resort owners, tourists and local expats and we are able to make a small difference.                        

Later that year Charlie invited us to join the beach day, that was another eye opener for me, my old heart don't often make my eyes wet, but that day seeing 120 boys from 4 to 16 years old having a day full of joy and fun melted my heart again.    

Charlie supplied a food buffet I never seen before, anything the kids only dream of, from ice cream to pizza, hamburgers, to the best Thai food, activities all day, a bouncy castle, face painting, banana boat ride and so much more.   

The event is huge, around 120 volunteers help out during the day being nannies for the kids. When we can be a part of things like this you don't need to ask me why I spent some of the few money I have to help, because I can not do enough.      

If you ask me what the Phangan people have done already, I can sure say a lot, but we can all do a bit more.

They are in need of powdered milk, diapers, pretty much anything they are in need of it! If you can not spare cash then you can donate your old clothing or some of your time. Last year we had a few ladies that went to the beach after full moon and picked up flip flops and that was just great.   

If anybody wants to give a hand then please contact Charlie direct via FB.        

Another great support this year came from Local biker club Bagers mc, (Dan Slater) they made a day event with a ride around the island collecting cash from different sponsors, that day made a stunning 20.000 Baht which was handed over to Charlie to support the work he does.                          

To sum it up I would like to say thank you to all that has helped so far, and at the same time ask all of the resort owners and all good people if they could please empty out their lost or forgotten box, clean out your closet, empty your pocket for small money, there is somebody out there that really needs it.     

Here with us in The Handlebar it is an ongoing thing, we help local schools, we donate and help out with Charlie's Cause of course but we also help wherever we see a desperate need.   

You are more than welcome to give a donation or just stop by for a chat, we are non profit so every Baht or piece of clothing we get goes directly to somebody in deep need.