Not everyone may be trained in professional care of the elderly and children with needs. But many individuals and corporations have stepped forward in a mere three months to prove that it does not take a lot to help the under-privileged in the community. City News recounts the acts of kindness done by several ordinary people who have displayed compassion and charity.
Contributed By Serina Perera
City Harvest Church members from cell group S49, under the pastoral care of deputy senior pastor, Tan Ye Peng, visited Asian Women’s Welfare Association Community Home for senior citizens on Jan. 18 to celebrate Chinese New Year with the old folks. Their gesture brought a smile to the faces of the elderly, who each received goodie bags containing chicken essence, cream crackers, Milo, Nestum cereal and a red packet, all sponsored by the volunteers.
On Jan. 30, 33 members from CHC’s Choir Ministry visited 37 elderly residents of the Geylang East Home for the Aged. There, the choir spent quality time with the elderly. Said Mavis Sin, a 23-year-old educator, “The visit taught me how to cherish what I already have, rather than look at what I don’t.”
The City Harvest Chinese Church congregation brought cheer to 176 elderly at St. Luke’s Eldercare at Bukit Timah Centre, Fei Yue Seniors Activity Center and SASCO Evergreen Senior Citizens Home.
The elderly enjoyed presents, line dances, magic performances as well as a buffet spread.
Members of a business group in CHC brought 28 children (beneficiaries of the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund) to the zoo. On top of enjoying the sights and sounds of the zoo, the children were tasked to draw a picture and explain what their picture meant—an activity aimed at boosting their level of confidence and skill of expression.
Party With A Heart
On Dec. 11, 2010, 35 volunteers from three cell groups under the pastoral care of CHC’s district pastor, Goh Yock Kiang, hosted a Christmas party for the aged at Ren Ci Community Hospital. One special activity involved the ageing patients expressing their hopes for the future by writing their wishes on cards. These cards were then hung on the branches of the real Christmas tree in the ward’s lounge for posterity.
On Dec. 11, 2010, a Christmas party for 40 children was jointly organized by Hong Kah North Community Centre and members of CHC, under the pastoral care of district pastor Wu Yuzhuang. Various activity booths were set up for the children to engage in activities such as face painting, airbrush tattoo and makeover-cum-photo taking.
The guest-of-honor for the event was Dr. Amy Khor, mayor of South West Community Development Council and a Member of Parliament.
A group of friends from cell group N449 in CHC (under the pastoral care of executive pastor Derek Dunn) elevated the living conditions of several elderly citizens during a home make-over assignment. On Dec. 4, 2010, the group cleared mountains of clutter, cobwebs, dirty crockery, expired food items, faulty furniture and buckets of laundry that had been soaking for months.
Society-conscious Businesses Serve The Elderly
Four local companies engaged in a joint corporate social responsibility effort to benefit 75 senior citizens from Care Corner (Toa Payoh), Evergreen and Rochor Kongsi. Held on Feb. 18, the lunch was sponsored by Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, Roland Seafood Restaurant, Samuel Seow Law Corporation and Catalyst Advisory Services Pte Ltd. The CSR event was planned, managed and executed by CityCare.
The beneficiaries sat down to a sumptuous eight-course lunch before they were presented with goodie bags containing toiletries, food items and other essentials.
A visit to Phua Hui Ling’s house revealed that her parents had intellectual disabilities and her sister also had special needs. So on Jan. 24, a group of eight friends, all from CHC, arrived at the flat to clean up the house. Within five short hours, they replaced two mattresses, pillows and bolsters infested with bed bugs; removed bags of expired food from the kitchen and cleared four trash bags filled with worthless items.
Good friends Chris Seow, Adrian Cheong and Calvin Tan decided to do their bit for the community and sought to collaborate with City Harvest Community Services Association to organize a Chinese New Year lunch for the elderly. About 220 senior citizens from CHCSA’s COPE program benefited from the lunch on Feb. 12 at Kia Hiang Restaurant at Kim Tian Road.
Thirty businessmen and working professionals, along with their spouses and families brought cheer to the Red Cross Home for the Disabled on Dec. 18, 2010. The Christmas@Home party was organized by members of cell group W201, under the pastoral care of cell group leaders Francis Tay, 49, an associate professor, and Christine Seah, 44, a lawyer.
The RCHD houses about 97 residents, suffering from various disabilities including Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, spastic quadriplegia, muscular dystrophy and epilepsy.