Sometime, in 2012, we should do something simple and yet feasible for sme charities in Singapore. In the past, some members have embarked on visits to homes and providing some food and entertainment for the day. In some cases, some monies were collected and given to the selected charity.
I had the privilege to spend some time discussing with some SilverHairs other options or ways of giving monies to charities. This good deed may be debatable to some people, for various reasons.
Many members are keen to support charities, but this act has to be sincere, genuine and support a good cause. i hope I am not starting a debate on the why’s of giving to charities.
The discussion caught my attention, and I was hoping to find some way of giving to charities. This is a big potluck event where participants contribute a potluck item to the event. Those wshing to try and buy an item pay, say 2 dollars, for one item. Let’s say we open this event to the public.
All proceeds, we donate to charities. And, if the idea is good, we do this event once ayear. We may even combine this event with another event.
Let’s take some time to discuss. What do you think? Please do not trash any ideas or suggestions.
Terence Seah
Good idea, Terence. If the date doesn’t clash with my travels, you can count me in.
Cheers
Ros
Hi Terence
Happy New Year!
Yes, it’s a good idea. Where do you propose that this potluck charity event be held? Would like to participate in this event if my schedule permits. You know lah, being a G–M takes up a lot of one’s time but it also gives a lot of joyand fulfilment. heehee
Warmest regards,
Gabriella
An idea I had i mind is to organise a Chinese New Year lunch or dinner where we can invite folks from one of the homes who are 45 years and above.
The venue is the same Sin Heng Famous chicken rice and the menue includes curry fishhead, pig troters, chap chye and choy sum with chinese tea and of course yu sheng at $10.00 per head.
The idea is for each person who come to sponsor one other person from the homes. The cost came be reduced to perhaps $5.00 or $8.00 per head if it is held after the Chinese New Year.
The capacity for this restaurant is 250 pax and is air-conditioned.
A blessed New Year to one and all!
My 7 cents worth.
Dan
Hi Dan #3,
Good concept. Please share your event details when you have put the plans together.
Terence Seah
Thanks Terence,
We need to get a few people to sit together to identify the charity homes, fix a date and work from there.
Who would want to assist me?
It may not be at the restaurant but can be held at the home premises and we can line up an agenda and this same restaurant or any other will do the catering.
Dan
Hi Dan,
SHC has been going to the St Joseph’s Home for the last 2 years.
Since the residents are already in the premises, it saves arranging for the transport.
I remember last year someone, (was it Geok Suan) arranged for the catering from Raffles CC. Someone else brought agar-agar and ice cream.
Jeff Gan and his lovely wife arranged the singalong and the rest went to talk to the residents.
I don’t know if any hair-cuts and nail-cutting was done by the SHC members, perhaps so.
I was busy with my job. My job was to carry some tables and keep the flies away from the catered food. I was assisting Stephen Chan.
I feel qualified to do this job again for 2012.
But if you want t re-invent the wheel, I can help too, if it is not too stressful.
Happy holidays.
Dan
Good suggestion, Dan
I am useless at entertaining old folks and not a good participant in organizing committees but I can still help by offering you a donation of $500 for any charity you organize.
Hope others would contribute in whatever way they choose.
Dan,
Your idea is good but food wise, it better 2b not to hv too much fish bones so I think fish fillet would b a much choice. Curry must not b too spicy as not all folks can take spicy food. If this event is 2b held at d restaurant, then, logistics to transfer these ppls from point A to point B must be considered also as not many will be mobile enough to move on their own. This is my 7cts worth.
Nevertheless, it is a good cause for charity and I will definitely support this.
Cheers… Dolly
Dolly
That is why he need help mah. Some people to take out the bones before feeding the old folks. Some to blow at the curry, so not too hot. Strong people to carry the old folks up the bus, down the bus. That is why I give money…..much easier.
Thanks you Charles for your input. I was not at the St. Joseph’s Homes, therefore have no idea of the works done there.
Tian Soo, appreciates the kind gesture of $500.
Dolly, noted the boney concern and support.
I will be in contact with the chaplain of All Saint’s Home and shall revert as to the date to be fixed. Hopefully, we may have it done on their premises to avoid all logistics issues.
Dan
A small-scale charity idea:
Mini karaoke sessions. Singing participants pay $3 each for K room rental and light refreshments and donate $2 for every song they sing.
Recipients of the charity money collected will be vagrants, elderly poor, needy handicapped…in the form of ‘hong bao’ and small food parcels. (Food could be donated by other charitable SHC members). :)
2-ct worth.
Hi Jassmine #11
Very good and innovative way of giving to charity.Supported.
Killing two birds with one stone? SHC members get to enjoy while doing charity at the same time.
Cheerssss
Gabriella
Hi Jassmine #11
Great idea and I would love to cook something or bake something for sale (if permitted)at these sessions and the collection goes into the charity kitty. p.s. I have a soft spot for the elderly poor.
Dan, I think there are many old folks home around. You may want to explore.
My two cents worth.
Warmest Regards
Carly
Dear Charles,
Nelly Ho(Soh) got food sponsor for last year’s St Joseph’s Home Residents. Dolly, myself and many other SHcians including yourself and the “singing Gans” as mentioned by Dolly, assisted in one way or another.
SHCians very good at charity work and donation.
To Dan,
I am confident that you’ll somehow get the support lah
to make this dream come thru in 2012.
Happy New Year to you, Joy and all SHCians.
Geok Suan.
Hi Gebbie (#12), Caroline (13)
Thanks for liking the charity karaoke idea. Now to look for a volunteer Cisco guard to protect the kitty………lol! :)
Hi Jassmine,
Your idea is good but collection of $2 for each song for charity is abit on d low side. I remembered that at 1 private charity event, my senior was charging something like $5/song, some of them were generous to give $10 to support.
My 7cts worth lor… Of cos, if u r EO, u hv final say lor..
Cheers.. Dolly
Dolly and Jassmine
Each song is about 2-3 minutes long. It takes time for singers to walk to the mike and vice versa, plus some down time for those who make grand entrances or the bashful ones needs to be prod on stage. I guess if it takes 5 minutes on average for each song, we can only hear 12 songs per hour. If we charge $2, that is $24. If we charge $5 it will be $60.
If you have a 3 hours function, you get $72 or $180.
Not much money for charity is it?
Aiyo, Lau Da, as I mentioned earlier, option to donate more is there mah.. Is all depend on how d word ‘charity donation’ intrepret lor… tio bo? Of cos, if u ask me, then, I wuld prefer to ask for higher donation for each song lor..
Cheers.. Dolly
Dolly
How come you still login.
I thought you are in the mountains of North Thailand looking for cockroaches.
Yeah, just got into the Tiger cage, smallest one though. And soon, off to go-kart. Getting old!
Where is Dolly?
Terence Seah
Hahaha, tonite flight la, so eng2 bo tai zhi cheo, so lai kong kong lor…
BTW, got singers, sure must hv audiences’ support rite, so they are also chargeable for entrance to the event la and some of them will prefer 2 give hongbao but my level hor, dun noe how much lor but cant be much lesser rite.. And I supposed my seniors organizing this event must be going around looking for sponsors also lor…Cheers.. leaving home soon liao.. If got time to spare at d airport, I will still be kong-ing again lor… Dolly.,
Hi Dan/Dolly,
It’s great to do some charitable deeds . Of late , I am able to spare a little time to read a couple of blogs. Sounds interesting. If I can help, ( and the date does not clash with my engagements ) maybe set up a karaoke system for your charity event FOC to assist you to make arrangements/decisions easier.Do notify me if needs arise .
Hi Terence,Dolly and gang,
Have a great holiday and happy hunting . Happy New Year !
Jeff/Irene .
Hi Tian Soo
Dolly now busy shopping at the duty free liquor stall with Mega because Terence had given instruction to buy some DF alcohol to bring to the mountain. Yatsing and I decided to login for the last time before going into the hold room.
TSoo, too bad you not joining us. Your buddy already up in the (another) mountain but coming down to CM to meet us tonight. He said he will bring us out to supper after we checked into the hotel.
Chiangmai, here we come! Cya when we are back…..ta ta.
Lily
Ask Dolly to bring back a big black cockroach for Ah Huat. He told me once when I shared a hotel room with him that he loves cockroaches. I don’t know what he do with them.
Jassmine, we shall incorporate your idea and explore further.
Gabriella, we look forward to your strong support and agree with you that cheerfully we shall serve and enjoy ourselves while we are at it.
Caroline, I just love your carrot cake and look forward to receive your help for the charity work.
Geok Suan, thank you for the good wishes. We really hope to do something for the old folks and I count on all the support we can get.
Jeffrey, thanks for the offer to set up the karoeke system and to help us to entertain the elderly folks with your lovely wife Irene.
Thanks again to all who have expressed your help and support. I may approach another home supported by YMCA and fix a date and revert soon.
Dan
Dan,
I dun think it would be a good idea to corporate too many activities as this will only make the event very messy lor. Beta stay focus lor..
BTW, my fren was telling me that Lorong Buangkok that there is an old folk home that you may want to consider lor..
Cheers… Dolly
Dolly,
We are still at the planning stage and shall take note of your concern.
I am in discussion with All Saint’s Homes and YMCA and will get back to you.
Dan
Terence,
Here are some suggestions I am putting up for you to consider. I have identify the group under the care of Queenstown Community Club. There have about 3 thousands elderly living in the vicinity.
The venue is confirmed at this centre who let us utisied their function hall which air-conditioned and take up to 300 pax. I opt for the $5.00 instead of the $10.00 per head lunch.
The date is fixed on February 18, 2012 on a Saturday afternoon from 11.00am-2.00pm. We are targeting about 200pax including our member. We hope that more sponsors will come forward to make this happen.
We will have a one hour program lead by Jeffrey and Irene and our own evergreen singers. The centre have their own opera singers to perform too. About 10 stalls will be set up for member to peddle their wares for charity. Depending on the contribution from member we may give out ang pows or goodies bags.
A group of medical personnel will be on standby to check on those coming their blood pressure, foot scan and glucose level.
Shall we go for it?
Dan
Hi Dolly (#16), TS (#17)
Appreciate your feedback. Agree,the sum in the kitty will be paltry.Guess i was fixated on the ikan bilis and forgot about the garoupas and the soon hocks….lol! just joking.
Seriously, i had two concerns:
1. A K enthusiast won’t feel satisfied singing just one song during a 3-hr K session. Three songs at least. At $2 per song, he will be happy to donate $6 for three songs. At $5 per song, he’ll have to fork out $15….he may just sing one song ($5) …and feel frustrated the rest of the time! lol!
2. If the K system is below expectations, participants may be more willing to make allowance considering the low rental and song price.
I was also thinking of several groups holding such charity K sessions and we pool our takings. This way, we may get a ‘princely’ sum! :)
Hmm…hope some resourceful K enthusiasts would organise these charity K sessions. :)
Hi Jassmine#29
Just wondering if we (SHC) would need a permit for collecting $ in the name of charity?
Regards,
Gabriella
Hi Dan #29
Really admire your charity spirit! i would like to suggest, if it’s possible, that the elderly poor who are not attending the lunch be given ‘hong bao’ or/and goodie bags if there’s enough funds for these two items. i do feel sorry for them for not being selected for the charity lunch ‘getai’.
Jassmine,
Those elderly selected to attend are by invitation, each will be given a ticket. Beacuse the time frame is only three hours, I am not sure whether it is practical for each person who want to sing and contribute to charity will work.
Dan
Hi Gabriella #30
No permit needed. It’s like passing the hat around among ppl we know. i think we can channel the K collection to Dan’s charity lunch event for ‘hong bao’ for the elderly poor.
Good to know that we have Dan willing to organize the charity function and Jassmine coming forward to organize a KOK fund raising event.
I think the 2 events compliment each other but have to be held separately. It is not charitable to give the underprivileged a cheap meal and expect them to sit through 3 hours of bad singing. If it is entertainment you want to give them we have to know what THEY want. They may prefer to sing than to listen. They have the same ego as we have and they may have better taste.
Please do not see the above comment as criticism. It is just to raise a point to consider. You have my full support however way you wish to organize it and I wish you all success.
Tian Soo,
appreciate your feedbacks, the the menu at $5.00 consists of the famous chicken, chicken curry and a vegetable item. I am hoping that at the lower cost we may have more sponsor and therefor we can invite more to come to fill the hall,
I have booked the date at February 18. As Jassmine suggested we may have a ‘getai’ style lunch where with member’s contribution we will hold an auction and all proceed goes to charity.
I hope that ‘Chief Sitting Bull’ who is somewhere in limbo will response soon as I have to secure the date.
Dan
Hi Dan, as you have picked a charity, a venue for the lunch and the date, i would think a registration list of participations should be the next step, so as to enable you to consider the planning and logistics. In principle, I leave the EO to consider and decide.
I hope you are aware there are rules to soliciting charity funds from the public, in the name of a charity. However, passing the hat round privately from members is acceptable. Members response must be voluntary.
Please do start a new Post on this event. Not much time as you have a number of programmes in mind.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence
Your initial idea of a big potluck to raise funds sounds like a food and/or fun fair. Such events require lots of planning and logistics but they are always exciting and worthwhile for a worthy cause.
I have always thought the poor living in rented or one room flats need some cheering up too. There’re means to identify who they are to facilitate charitable distribution.
Hi Daisy #37,
Dan and Joy have initiated a charity event. Through support from members, many senior and elderly folks get to enjoy a lunch, together with entertainment and an angpow.
Yes, a potluck would be great too. Let Dan’s initiative move ahead fist. We will keep this idea for some other time.
Terence Seah
I think this charity event is a great idea and I indeed will support it by cooking something to sell. Keep me inform of date and time.