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Project: JOY! 2005 (Singapore)
30 May 2005
Led by Geraldine Ong,
Singapore recently completed the first Youth Visioning
project. On 7th February 2005, student volunteers
successfully organized a steamboat feast to celebrate
the Chinese New Year for 105 elderly inhabitants
of Redhill Close, Singapore.
The activity aimed to bring
companionship and joy to this community and to
bridge the generation gap by promoting interaction
between the young of today and the elderly.
Almost 40 volunteers, including
students from various junior colleges throughout
the island, took part in the event. Three volunteers
sat with seven elders at each table, interacting
and assisting them with their meals. Media coverage
was obtained from the Chinese media and shown
on television.
"Food breaks a thousand barriers,
be it language, race or religion. Having a steamboat
dinner therefore really helped to bridge the generation
gap between the young and the old. The passing
of food from chopsticks to chopsticks at the dinner
table broke what language barrier there was."
The project activities involved
student volunteers purchasing ingredients at a
wet market and preparing and cooking the dinner;
the distribution of 8-dollar 'angbaos' and pairs
of mandarin oranges to herald the start of a good
year for the elderly; and singing and musical
performances.
By the end of the evening,
all those involved in the event considered it
a success and many of the participants expressed
a strong enthusiasm about continuing volunteer
work so as to ensure that their heritage and ancestry
would not be forgotten. There are already thoughts
that this dinner could be turned into an annual
event. In any case, a commitment has already
been pledged by another group to continue the
challenge of bridging the generation gap.
>> More
on Project: Joy! 2005
>> see
full report
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