Feeling Honored

Below is an article from the University of Oregon where Vince and I currently work and will be retiring from in a few months. 

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In July 2006 Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, eldest grandchild of His Royal Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and daughter of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, will visit campus Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 14-16, as part of an official visit to the Eugene-Springfield community on behalf of HRH the Crown Prince.

The princess is visiting for several reasons: to open an exhibition celebrating the 60th anniversary of the king’s accession to the throne, to officially dedicate Thailand’s gift of more than 1,700 books to the UO and local public libraries, and to launch a new initiative adding math and science to the university’s highly successful distance-learning program in partnership with Thai public school teachers.

“We are supremely honored by this visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand,” said UO President Dave Frohnmayer.
“We are deeply grateful to be singled out as the first university in the country to receive an official visit from a member of the Thai royal family during the 60th anniversary year of His Royal Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the throne.”

Russ Tomlin, UO vice provost for academic affairs who has coordinated the campus portion of the Princess’s royal visit, says the visit and the relationships behind it have broader implications for the university’s Asia initiative, which seeks to boost educational offerings and expertise on the fast-growing region. “The relationship with Thailand creates opportunities to expand UO engagement not just in Thailand but in other parts of Southeast Asia as well.” 

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Vince was working on the landscape crew when Her Royal Highness paid a visit to the Knight Library (shown below)  I remember he came home and told me that he worked very hard to make sure the grounds and landscaping around the area was in perfect shape.  He was in the middle of adding an irrigation system to an area that was on the route Her Royal Highness would use to enter the library.  

Because of security concerns for the visit the notification of the visit came 2 days before her arrival.  He had to complete the project before she arrived or cover it up so it wouldn't be seen.

The university received funding to have the route lined with plants in bloom and these plants were then planted in the area where the irrigation system was installed and are still there today. The flowers below are Blue Hydrangeas.

He helped to literally roll out Red Carpet for her to walk on to enter the library.   He also said that she was very regal, royal and  beautiful.     I have wanted to go to the library to see if I could get a picture of some of the books and we did just that last week.     We feel special to be working at the University that Her Royal Highness chose to donate Thai books to.