Penang, Tues. – The Copthorne Orchid Hotel brought joy to 20 orphants from Ramakrishna Orphanage here and six Cambodian heart children when it treated them to a fun-filled afternoon at the hotel’s Admiral’s Beach Club.

Besides the afternoon of fun at the club where they are entertained by the club’s “admiral”, magician Robert Chan, the children were also given toys – presents from the hotel staff and the Art of Living Organization which were handed out by hotel general manager Jan Buttgen.

Hotel public relations manager Sally Lai said the even was part of the hotel’s community service programme.

The Cambodian children – three boys and three girls, aged between two and 1 years, had recently undergone corrective heart surgery at the Penang Adventist Hospital (PAH) here under the Gift of Life programme.

The children, the fourth batch of Cambodian children to be operated at here on Aug 23 and will return home on Thursday.

Also feted by the hotel were other Cambodians: the children’s mother, Dr Sar Vuthy and nurse Chea Phal.

Earlier, Buttgen also presented several bags of clothes to PAH’s volunteer service coordinator, Lois Mohr, towards the hospital’s clothes collection drive.

Also present at the party were Rotary Club of Penang president Michael CH. Chen, immediate past president Nutan Shah, Rotarians Steve Leggett and Dr Aloysius Raj, PAH public manager Cheah See Lin, Heart Center manager Grace Lai and development coordinator Rachel Phoon.

The Gift of Life 2 programme is an on-going project by the Rotary Club Of Penang aimed at enabling children under 18 from Asean countries to receive free open heart surgery at PAH.

To date, over 40 children from Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines have benefited from this programme.

Donations to the Gift of Life programme may be sent to the Rotary Club of Penang Gift of Life 2 Account, c/o 7 Jalan Kelawai, 10250 Penang, or to the Heart Patients’ Fund, Penang Adventist Hospital, 465 Jalan Burma, 10350 Penang.

Those who donate more than RM100 may request for a tax exempt receipt. For details, call 04-2266331 / 2261133.