Telok Blangah CC YEC gets hands-on at Moral Welfare Home

After lunch at Telok Blangah Blk 47 Resident's Committee Center, we settled down to put designs on potted plants: our very first gift to our adopted home - Moral Welfare Home (MWH).

While decorating the pots, Linda, Stacy, Shauna, Xizhi, Guna, Rebacca, Siti were very absorbed in perfecting every detail of their design. Even the usually playful and hyperactive ones like Tery, Ronnie, Andy, Jeffery, Yue Hua, Dave and Yoosuf sat down diligently to put unique designs on their pots. Ying Quan, Alvin and Terence took turns to play the guitar to provide some music and encouragement to everyone. We managed to remember most of the lyrics of some of the songs, and even crooned to "Country Road"!

Full of love, we set off for MWH at 301 Henderson Road. Each of us brought along our hand drawn potted plants as a gift for the residents of the home. We were all geared up to have fun doing art and craft with the elderly. After a couple of weeks of liaison between Yuehua and myself and Eric, the officer in-charge of the Welfare home, we were finally on our way to carry out this community service project.

When we arrived, we greeted the seniors with our brightest smile while we walked through the hall. They were very friendly and some even waved back at us. The macho TBCCYEC gentleman took the initiative to help arrange the tables while the ladies set up the chairs, giving out the drawing block papers, crayons and colour pencils. Within minutes, the place was all set up for art and craft, with some of the residents filling up all the chairs.

Throughout the short one hour, our YEC began a hive of activities. Linda, Siti, Stacy, Jeffrey, Rebecca and Shauna sat down next to an elderly each to draw pictures together with them. Yuehua folded a flower together with a senior. Xizhi, Alvin, Andy and myself engaged in an interesting chat with an elderly at another table. Terence coaxed a more reserved elderly into finally drawing flowers and putting colours on to them. Tery broke the ice by speaking fluent "Hokkien" to one of the "Hokkien" speaking elderly. Ying Quan busied himself checking out the sound system and the venue to plan for the next visit's performance.

Before we knew, it was time to bid farewell. The elderly waved goodbye to us silently. Although most of them did not express themselves in words, we could see the smiles in their eyes reflecting the happiness in their hearts. It's more than words can say. We know that they have enjoyed the simple art and craft session but more importantly - our company and the care that we have expressed through our actions. Seeing the smile on their faces, we know that all the time and effort spent in preparing and carrying out this community service is worthwhile and meaningful.

Yes, we have made a difference, and we will continue to do so.

Love Potion:

A simple act, with a little time and lots of LOVE makes a meaningful difference in someone's life. Will you care to do it?

Written By:

Vanlisa Lee

TBCC YEC

Get Your Certificate!

Are you one of the hundreds who took part in the record-setting Largest Palm Formation at Youth Hands-On! @ South West 2010? If yes, we've prepared a Certificate of Participation to mark your involvement!

Please contact your YEC or grassroots leader who invited you along, and give them the name you want to be printed on the certificate, and ask them to pass your detail on to us. They will inform you when the certificates are ready for collection.

If you are a YEC representative, you should already have received an email from us asking you to send in the details of the youths you invited along. If you haven't already send in the names, please do so by Thursday 8 April, 12pm.

If you are a member of the public who joined in on that day and would like to get a certificate, please email the name you would like to print on the certificate along with your contact number to YEO_Cheo_Tee@pa.gov.sg with the subject header: "YHO Certificate - Public". Each certificate costs $5. We will inform you when your certificate is ready for collection.

Thanks everyone who made the event a possibility!

West Coast CC YEC takes the elderly to a museum

As part of Youth Hands-On! @ South West 2010, West Coast CC YEC, together with the youth volunteers, spent a meaningful Sunday at the National Museum with the elderly from St Andrew Cathedral Home for the Aged in the Singapore History Gallery .

Looking at the old artefacts and viewing videos of old Singapore. the visit gave the elderly an opportunity to share their past experiences with us. We also shared with them stories we heard from our own grandparents.

After the museum visit, we brought the elderly to the nearby Kopitiam where they were spoilt for choice with the wide array of food.

The elderly enjoyed the short outing, in particular the unique dining experience.

To the volunteers, it was also a rare opportunity for us to hone our dialects and learn how to communicate better with them.

It was indeed a meaningful Sunday spent with this group of lovely elderly from St Andrew Cathedral Home for the Aged.

Contributed by West Coast CC YEC. Connect with the West Coast CC YEC via facebook!