On 18 March 2023, NUSS’ volunteers played their part in supporting and caring for the 18 child beneficiaries under its adopted charity – Children’s Wishing Well (CWW). To kick start the morning, the volunteers and beneficiaries enjoyed breakfast and good conversation together at the Activity Room of Kent Ridge Guild House before proceeding to the Guild Hall to catch part of the Singathon event, which was happening concurrently that day. DanceSport Convenor and fellow volunteer, Mr Tan Peng Yong, mentioned that the children were “thrilled” to be able to watch other school choirs perform. After the performance concluded, they were off to IMM Mall for a fun shopping trip!
Spearheaded by the Community Care & Cultural (CC&C) Sub-Committee, this seemingly simple outing was a meaningful way for volunteers to befriend these young beneficiaries while imparting pearls of wisdom in a real-world situation.
CC&C Sub-Committee member and first timer, Mr Jeffrey Chua Choa, and his wife, Ms Yeye Choa, found it a rewarding experience that helped broaden their horizons. He said: “Thank you for such a memorable opportunity to help our community. We truly enjoyed the experience! Shafie was such a nice and dear child. During the shopping trip, he shared what he liked and we worked within the guidelines to get something he enjoyed. He loved all his “gifts” and asked if he could wear his new shoes and cap right away! These encounters also work both ways, as we offer our time and effort to help, it also reminds us to count our blessings so we are thankful to NUSS, CWW and Shafie for this experience.”
Another pair of volunteers – Mr Christopher Loh (DramaWorks Convenor) and Ms Denise Ong, shared that the event allowed members to contribute in a meaningful way. “Hopefully through the event, we were able to share how to make smart financial choices and decisions on budgeting,” he elaborated. They added that the smiles on each child’s face in seeing his/her little dreams fulfilled was enough for the volunteers.
The smiles, coupled with good conversation and laughter shared with these young friends was definitely worth the trip, leaving everyone with more than a touching experience of serving those in need.
