It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Monte Ball. Just a few days before a planned trip to the Workshop, Monte was admitted to hospital with an unknown infection. Sadly, the infection spread rapidly and he was placed in ICU, under sedation, where he died peacefully a few days later on Thursday 18th January 2024.
For the last 10 years Monte dedicated much of his life supporting the Laos Children’s Workshop and you will all have seen his name mentioned in every Newsletter … in one way or another … during that time. As the self-appointed P.R. representative for the workshop, he worked tirelessly raising funds to purchase computers and other equipment that enabled us to keep up to date and we would not be in the position we are in today, without that support.
Monte visited the workshop on countless occasions and the students, both past and present, loved him and it goes without saying that they were mortified to hear of his death. Their feelings were summed up by On Line, a 16-year-old student of mine who posted on Facebook, below the notification of his death:
Thank you for all your help in the past. We will never forget it and will always remember it. If there really is a next life, may we meet again. With love from the Laos Children's workshop
Monte will be sadly missed both by me as a true friend and by the students for his smiling face, unparalleled enthusiasm and much appreciated support. He was a true and great ambassador of the Laos Children’s Workshop.
Monte’s loss is devastating but the workshop goes on and with your help and support, will continue to thrive. Brian Pern and Pong, who visited the Workshop last summer … giving a cooking presentation for the students … are returning in a couple of weeks’ time for another visit and Rex Bates, a long time friend of Monte’s and major sponsor of the workshop, will be visiting in April and I will be covering these visits in my next News Letter.
May Monte rest in peace and know that he will always remain in our thoughts.
Philip