Awareness Week 2016

September 21, 2016

in Events

Two Sundays ago, we launched our annual volunteer recruitment drive, more commonly known as BCS Awareness Week (BAW). The days leading up to the event was loaded with both excitement and anxiety. As a voluntary welfare organization, many of our services and programmes would benefit significantly if we could get more volunteers.
Thankfully, we met many new volunteers as well as old friends these past two weekends; people who will come alongside us to Serve our community, Touch lives, Open doors and Press on together.

A Call to STOP – to overcome busyness, and set aside time for our community.
Overall, we received over 70 new volunteer signups and collected more than S$13 000 worth of donations and sponsorship.

It was heartening to meet many generous donors who chose to sponsor not just one or two needs, but three and more! There were also professionals who came up to offer their specialised skills as a service unto others. One hair stylist came up to us and volunteered his time and service for the elderly.
This year, we interviewed a few of our existing volunteers, to hear about how they overcame their own doubts or busyness and to serve and touch the lives of the needy in our community.

: Tony?s initial thought was to help out for a single event, but he has now helped organised not one, but three Parent Child Bonding (PCB) events together with the rest of the committee. ?It doesn?t take very much time, and I can see that the community families really benefitted.? he says.

: Leng Leng has been volunteering at our Student Care Centre for more than a year. Every Thursday morning, she reads to the children, quite often bringing her own books. Over time, the children have come to enjoy her reading very much; they listen attentively, ask questions and even prepare the chair and volunteer tag for her beforehand. She believes that there is a need for more volunteers to come alongside these children, to nurture them and teach them right values.

: Despite her age, Noi connects well with the youth in excITE @ College East. She admits to having initial doubts about her own ability to connect with youths but she pressed on and made effort to join in their games and even learn more about their music interests. She knows that her influence as a friend helps them grow in maturity and confidence.

: Enwei, Dorothy and Ellie started volunteering with Meals-on-Wheels early this year. Since then, they have befriended most of the elderly that they deliver meals to every Saturday morning. Enwei finds that even though they volunteer as a way of giving to the people in our community, the family receives something very special in return as well. It is a special family time that they cherish, one that also inculcates a deeper understanding of what it means to love.

Part I : Tony & Leng Leng’s Interview

Part II : Noi & the Peng’s Interview

BAW event photos

Our official BCS Awareness Week may be over, but the needs of the community are always present. If you?d like to find out more about our services and programmes, do visit our website or follow us on Facebook. To volunteer with us, please click here.