ROW 2009

12 September 2009

It's the annual Ramadhan-on-Wheel again! After missing one year of ROW, it's great to be back again. I remember volunteering to pack food hampers for needy families for ROW 2007, when I just joined Eunos CC YEC.

ROW 2009 is different from other years. Instead of volunteer drivers delivering food hampers to the needy families, the families instead get to decide what they want to buy with an allotted budget. Before shopping for the necessities, they would have to attend a financial awareness workshop.

In this meaningful event, non-Muslims experienced what it is like to fast for one day and how Ifta (breaking fast) is held.

ROW is organised by 4PM (Malay Literary Youth Association).

PCF Eunos Teachers' Day Dinner 2009

9 September 2009

Blk 616 PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Eunos Kindergarten Centre Principal Regina Chia is the Organising Chairperson for this year's Teachers' Day Dinner. I felt very honoured to be the emcee for this special occasion.

After finishing school, I rushed back to do some final preparations and then met Regina, Mdm Tay and Hock Rong in the cab towards Hilton Hotel. It must have been ages since I toured Orchard. The "newly" built Ion Orchard is fascinating aesthetically.

The room that we were using happened to be called the Malaysia Room. Probably they wanted to make us feel comfortable knowing that we had travelled to another "country" without chopping our passports.

Organising Committee Adviser Mr Yahya Zakaria Attia, BBM delivered the opening address and announced for the dinner to commence.

Our Guest-of-Honour, Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs & Chairman of PCF Eunos, surprised us when he strolled in the room without informing us. In his address, he shared some changes that would be in store for PCF teachers.

We played several games throughout the entire dinner session. First, we kicked off with a "Who Wants to be a PCF Eunos Expert?", a mini quiz session for everyone to learn more about PCF. The second game was a cheeky one for couples called the Exciting Grooving Game (EGG), a brainchild of PCF Eunos Secretary Mr Stephen Chia PBM. It involved the lady having to transport an egg from the collar of the man to the bottom of the trousers.

Next, we had "So You Think You Can Dance?". Each table nominated a pair of "volunteers" to participate without first knowing what is in store for them. The first pair to dance was Mr Zainul and Mr Yahya! Everyone had a good laugh seeing how both of them sportingly danced to the tune of the Korean hit song "Nobody". We finished the dinner with charades.

Tokens of appreciation were given to long service award recipients. Gifts were presented by the GOH to the teachers as well. Outgoing PCF Eunos Management Committee members were also appreciated.

Happy Teachers Day!

Receiving the token of appreciation from GOH. Also in photo are Organising Committee Adviser Mr Yahya Zakaria BBM and Organising Chairperson Regina Chia.

Lin Qiang's 20th Birthday

5 September 2009

Mother, Lin Qiang and I had a pleasant dinner at Swensen's. As Lin Qiang wouldn't be out of camp on his birthday (9/9/09), we had a pre-birthday dinner for him.

The "celebration" was simple since we were still mourning for Grandma. So the NDU trainee started cutting the cake.

Mother was so amused that she kept laughing while taking this shot, so much so that this was the best produced...

President's Challenge 2009

29 August 2009

Bingo! Everyone loves Bingo!

The People's Association Youth Movement (PAYM) pledged its support to the President's Challenge 2009, with its network of Youth Clubs setting up various fund-raising booths at Ngee Ann City Civics Plaza from 10am to 10pm.

Eunos CC Youth Club set up a Bingo! games booth. Other games include the President's Marksman (ball-throwing to hit pyramid of cans) and the Cube Challenge (Rubik Cube).

The weather was unbearably hot throughout noon and afternoon. Really salute our Muslim friends who are able to endure throughout the whole day. Some of them fell sick. For a good cause, it must be worth it.

My First Humorous Speech Contest

26 August 2009

Just one day after Kg Chai Chee Toastmasters Club August Chapter Meeting, where I experimented with my Humorous Speech as project 8 and got voted as the best prepared speech speaker, I found myself at the Club Humorous/Evaluation Joint Contest at Toa Payoh South Community Club.

It was a real eye-opener to witness the many experienced Toastmasters deliver their Humorous Speech. For a moment, I really feel like burying my head underground.

I was encouraged by a Toastmaster who had won many Humorous contests at the Division level. He shared many practical tips and shared his evaluation on my speech. I learnt a lot from this guru and experienced how a Toastmaster inspires.

After seeing the heavily decorated club flag for both Toa Payoh South CC Toastmasters Club and New Millenium Advanced Toastmasters Club, I set my goals in doing the same for my club.

Zhong Yuan Festival: 9007 Zhong Yuan Carnival

22 August 2009

Every year, Uncle will invite us to the 9007 Zhong Yuan Carnival. This year, something is missing and that is the presence of Father.

Held in the Seventh Month of the Lunar calendar, the Zhong Yuan Carnival commences with prayers, and then ending with an auction dinner. The items are mostly auspicious items and can be bidded up to thousands of dollars. I always dream of the day when I can participate in such auctions.

Mother and I arrived very early. We found ourselves a good position such that we could view the getai performances while the auction was being conducted.

I had a little too much wine and was blushing all over. Being the youngest, all the excess food were automatically channelled to my plate. That made me super full!

Launch of Tabung Amal Aidilfitri Trust Fund Donation Box

22 August 2009

Eunos grassroots leaders were invited for the Launch of Tabung Amal Aidilfitri (TAA) Trust Fund Donation Box at Geylang Serai Market. Hock Rong, Yi Feng, Erlina and myself represented the YEC to witness the launch.

It's my first time at the refurbished Geylang Serai Market. Gone were the dirty image of markets. Instead, what greeted us was a clean and bright wet market.

Despite the economic downturn, the area is packed with stalls for our Muslim friends to do their festive shopping.

MP Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, officiated the launch of the TAA Donation Box. One by one, participants lined up and slot their generous donations into the box.

This is an annual event that is held at the start of the Ramadhan period. The TAA donation boxes would be placed in various locations until Hari Raya Aidilfitri. The TAA fund supports the poor, the needy and the sick.

After the launch, MP Zainul did a market visit and greeted everyone in the market.

We are really blessed to be able to live in multiracial society where all races live their lives in harmony. And I really enjoyed learning about the Muslim culture and practices.

Understanding Iridology

23 August 2009

Eunos Zone '3' RC held a Iridology Health Screening and Talk for residents. It was conducted by the Iridology Association of Asia. The Association is made up of volunteers who, equipped with Iridology knowledge, conducts regular free health screening for people. They have also done health screening in foreign grounds like Batam.

Both the Charter President (Dr Toni Goh) and Charter Secretary (Frederick Loi) are Toastmasters. That was how the Organising Chairperson Mdm Sim got to know about them and invited them to our RC.

We started off with a talk on Iridology. Iridologists basically analyse the patterns on the iris to determine the health status of the individual. According to them, the science of Iridology is disputed by medical doctors because Iridology is the cheapest way to check for illnesses and might shrink their pockets.

One would expect such free health screening to be followed up with sales of health products. However, these volunteers only conduct health screening and do not recommend health products. Instead, they advise on dietary requirements. I thought they were really sincere in delivery such services to the commoners.