Stories of Volunteer Dedication and Impact #CRSvolunteers
Introducing Fiona, one of our volunteers from our 30th Anniversary Birthday Bash, she then joined Camp Rainbow as one of our volunteers.
Fiona is also a speech therapist, who has experience working with children and youths, who have Autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions. She helped to produce content on “Understanding and Managing Children with special needs” which will be part of our e-training materials for new volunteers.
CRS: When did you start your volunteering journey and why did you decide to do it?
Fiona: I believe that no man is an island; its important to receive help and its equally crucial to reach out to others to build that community. Thus, after I settled into my first job after uni (and after the height of COVID), I decided to start volunteering at CRS. I started off with helping out randomly at the 30th anniversary carnival, then the rest is history!
CRS: What is volunteering to you?
Fiona: To me, its a sharing of hearts and hands in order to bring a smile on others' face, or make life better for another.
CRS: What contribution or achievement are you most proud of ?
Fiona: Hmmmm probably volunteering at CRS camp and creating a positive camp experience for my camper/group! It was my first time at the CRS camp this year, and I really saw how this camp was a significant event to both the beneficiaries and families. :')
CRS: What was the best thing about your time volunteering?
Fiona: Learning so much (big and small) from the beneficiaries, their families and other volunteers. And of course, all the positive relationships built in the process of the work done.
CRS: What skills did you gained through volunteering?
Fiona: It would be to listen closely and taking time to always put myself in the shoes of the beneficiary, instead of rushing to complete a task/objective.
CRS: What words of encouragement do you have for those that are starting their volunteering journey out there?
Fiona: My advice would be to not think about it anymore and just try! Sometimes we over-think the possibilities or doubt our ability to contribute or connect to others. But your presence itself can be a present to others - so just show up and get involved.
Introducing Steve, one of our volunteer tutors for our beneficiaries.
Steve has been a volunteer tutor with Club Rainbow (Singapore) for a year.
CRS: Can you tell me about yourself?
Steve: My name is Steve and I’m an American who’s lived in Singapore for just over three years. I am a professor of political science at Yale-NUS College. I love to read, play and watch basketball, and discover new restaurants with my amazing fiancée Marina.
CRS: How long have you been a volunteer?
Steve: I have been a volunteer for almost one year
CRS: What is volunteering to you?
Steve: Volunteering is an opportunity to give back and contribute to something greater than oneself.
CRS: How have you benefitted from the volunteering experience?
Steve: By working towards a greater and collective goal, volunteering helps broaden my perspective of what matters in life. The rat race of work and my busy social life often narrows my interests towards what’s immediately in front of me. Volunteering puts my day-to-day life in perspective. It also makes me feel better about my week. No matter the week’s ups and downs, when I volunteer I know that I did at least one thing that week that hopefully helped someone else. Finally, as an expat, tutoring has been a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Singapore.
CRS: Were there any challenging moments?
Steve: Thankfully there have not been too many challenging moments. My tutee has been excellent. The hardest times for me were waking up very early in the morning for tutoring sessions when I was traveling to Singapore.
CRS: What motivates you to continue volunteering?
Steve: Volunteering adds meaning to my life by helping me contribute to something bigger than myself. It’s also an opportunity to give back. I would not be where I am today without the guidance of countless teachers, coaches and mentors. By volunteering, I strive to give back similar guidance and support to new generations of youth.
Introducing Chantel, one of our volunteers of Camp Rainbow 2023, Chantel was one of the co-heads of the programmes team during camp.
CRS: Can you tell me about yourself?
Chantel: Hello! I am Chantel, a year 2 Business Management Student in Singapore Management University (SMU). Some things I like to do during my free time would be watching true-crime podcasts and spending time with my loved ones
CRS: How long have you been volunteering?
Chantel: I became a volunteer at Club Rainbow since the beginning of this year, mainly for Camp Rainbow!
CRS: Why did you decide to volunteer for Camp Rainbow?
Chantel: It began with me wanting to help out in the community, and since I enjoy working with kids, I felt that a children's camp would suit me best! But as I was given more opportunities to interact with the beneficiaries of Club Rainbow (ie. Camp Prep Tea), I could see the amount of joy and fun they were having with the programmes that were meaningfully curated by my team and the staff. That really made me strive to make this year's Camp Rainbow a camp that would be unforgettable for all.
CRS: How was it like taking up leadership roles?
Chantel: Initially it was rather daunting as I had no experience with planning activities for kids with special needs. I was worried that my activities planned would not be engaging enough for them. But with the help of the staff and the rest of the volunteers, we managed to tweak our activities in a way where it would better cater to the kids at Club Rainbow. At the end of the day, it was a fulfilling experience and one filled with growth
CRS: What did you learn from volunteering for Camp Rainbow?
Chantel: I learnt that the beneficiaries at Club Rainbow are just like any other child, they are young spirited individuals that are capable of having as much fun as any other could. There has always been a stigma against individuals with special needs, and through the planning and execution of Camp Rainbow, I feel more inclined to do what I can to break that stigma and help provide opportunities to the kids at Club Rainbow to live an equally fulfilling life.
CRS: How would you encourage others to start volunteering?
Chantel: Be brave and take that first step! You will find that the your efforts as a volunteer leave a positive impact on these kids, and I am sure you will be coming back for more
#R2FR: Cycle Uncles 2.0
Speaking with Mr Jimmy Kwang, a team member of Cycle Uncles 2.0, we learned what
drives him to give back to the community.
CRS: How did you find out about RFR?
JK: I got to know RFR from a team member, who has been a regular rider for many years. As friends, we all supported him as an individual rider. Only last year did we officially form a team together. We thought that doing things together as a group was more exciting and that together as a team, we could contribute back to the community more significantly.
CRS: How big is your team and are you inviting more friends to join you by signing up for RFR?
Jimmy (left) with members of Cycle Uncles 2.0
JK: This year, our team has expanded to 6 members - an addition of 2 from 2022. We are all friends who share similar traits; former IBMers & colleagues from the same exercise groups on Sundays. Chin Hui and I have been friends for at least 20 years. Although we have moved on to different careers and lives, we continue to keep in contact as a group and try to meet at least once a week to keep fit and have makan sessions together.
CRS: What is your/your team’s training routine?
JK: We don’t have a fixed routine, but we do try to alternate our activities every week - between riding, cycling, and brisk walking. We typically cycle casually for 35-40km around East Coast Park (ECP) or the PCN route. Other times, our cycling route would either be along the east, towards Changi Village, or westbound towards Kallang. It always varies because we like to search for eatery spots. However, we do cycle very early in the morning so some eateries may not be open.
CRS: Did you/your team set any goals for Ride and Ralk for Rainbows 2023 (#R2FR)?
JK: I believe that as a group, we would use our network to solicit more donors. In terms of our team’s goals, we are simply trying to accomplish our initial target. Now, we are smashing our initial target, hence, we plan to double the amount. I would say that we are quite aggressive considering we are all salespeople in a technology industry. From that, we are very passionate about creating a new baseline for the team to achieve.
CRS: What is something you would like to share with everyone who has yet to sign up for R2FR?
JK: From my perspective, it is dependent on the individual’s passion to give back to the community and generally what the whole event is all about. Fundamentally, it's also about creating awareness and in this case, supporting children with lifelong illnesses.
Personally, after completing my medical treatments and gaining my health back last year, it has become my drive to give back to the community. This is because life is always going to be challenging, however, there will always be someone who is in need more than myself, and you. With this, I believe people can still benefit from me - even just a little.
- Jimmy, Cycle Uncles 2.0
CRS: Could you share words of encouragement for our beneficiaries and their families?
JK: Perseverance is very important. I am a firm believer in the mindset that “The cup is always half full” - as opposed to being half empty. From this, we need to look at things differently and always view challenges and life from a positive perspective. There will always be opportunities and potential for us. Believe in hope, and not give up on it.
You can make a difference
even though you are not a Rider or Ralker.
Support Ride and Ralk for Rainbows and make a difference today
Local Running Community with Big Hearts
Speaking with Mr Pang Wee Khai, Founder of Enjoy Your Run, we learnt why and how Wee Khai (WK) supports Club Rainbow (Singapore) (CRS).
CRS: How did the group *Enjoy Your Run* come about?
EYR Team at East Coast Park
WK: Enjoy Your Run (EYR) came about during COVID-19 and the relaxation of the control measures. There was also generally more interest in fitness and wellness. A group of friends with some running background came together and decided that it was perhaps more enjoyable to exercise as a group for motivation because running at times requires tremendous discipline to follow through. So that was how we started to gather in small groups in July 2021, on a monthly basis at East Coast Park. It gradually became a weekly gathering for the passionate runners in the group.
Over time, EYR grew organically both in number of active members and the fitness goals achieved. Besides improving general health, several runners smashed their limitations and set new personal records for running - from middle distances to ultra-marathons. What seemed impossible was made a reality due to the strong bonding and teamwork at EYR, both on and off the running course.
CRS: Why have you decided to raise funds for the children of Club Rainbow, and is there any meaning behind the campaign title "Let the children run"?
EYR founder, Pang Wee Khai
WK: I came across Club Rainbow at NUH when my firstborn was born with a genetic condition many years ago. Although we did not engage their services at that time, we came to know about the existence of such charitable organisations, which provide support to families whose children suffer from chronic illnesses. Due to personal experience, it was meaningful to be able to raise funds for an organisation close to our hearts. In fact, there were two online campaigns done previously before the first group effort in 2022 ->
https://www.giving.sg/campaigns/raceto40-marathon-club-rainbow
https://www.giving.sg/campaigns/bryceton-goes-for-10k
Campaign: EYR 2023
CRS: Have your group encountered any challenges in your fundraising journey and how did you overcome those challenges?
WK: Generally, friends are supportive of our collective effort. Of course, there are also many other fundraising campaigns out there. It is more about creating awareness and being sincere about what and why we do it.
In terms of challenges, it is inevitable that injuries may happen in the course of getting stronger and fitter. Like all dream journeys, we may face unforeseen circumstances on the road to better health, especially because many teammates are busy working parents. We learn to be patient and share our burdens with each other. In comparison, the children and families of Club Rainbow go through much tougher challenges, which few people can fully comprehend -- we keep this awareness close to our hearts as we fundraise for their cause.
CRS: How do you shout out for your campaign?
WK: We have been periodically creating awareness on our social media whenever the situation allows. It was also great that we had help with dollar-for-dollar matching by Tote Board, which gives friends more reasons to support our effort.
Inspired by Wee Khai’s initiative? You can start your fundraising journey with us today!
For the least effort in managing initiatives and maximum fun
Fundraise through Ride and Ralk for Rainbows 2023Grow the community with maximum flexibility
Start your own fundraising initiative like Wee Khai, email contact@clubrainbow.org for more details.
Care and Support - Being There For Your Child
Featuring 2022 Exemplary Caregiver Awardee, Mdm Junnie Lim
Mdm Junnie Lim, is the mother of Ashley, 19, and has been awarded the Exemplary Caregiver Award for taking care of Ashley. Mdm Lim works full-time, juggling her time to take care of her two daughters both with chronic illnesses.
Ashley began having chronic migraines 4 years ago and was diagnosed with small fibre neuropathy, Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) and Sjogren’s syndrome. Due to a lack of medical information locally and general awareness of Sjogren’s syndrome, an accurate prognosis regarding how Ashley’s case can be effectively treated or cured remains unclear.
When Mdm Lim takes care of Ashley, she shares that as a parent, it is brutal to endure seeing her daughter in pain every day. For Ashley, her condition warrants the use of a port-a-cath.
It has been very tiring for Mdm Lim over the years, constantly worrying for her daughters. They also started to plan for Ashley’s worst-case scenario during surgery. While death plans have always lurked in her mind since she has 2 daughters with chronic conditions, her younger daughter has 2 liver transplant surgeries which have given Mdm Lim the will to fight till the end for her daughter.
Mdm Lim shares that she finds the most joy when they have their family trips together. She finds that it provides quality family bonding time, clear from any digital distractions which lets them truly spend time with each other. She enjoys their travel together in December and always looks forward to it because, to her, no amount of money can buy their meaningful time together. During their vacations, Mdm Lim always plans ahead by seeking out the nearest hospital in case of emergencies and is prepared at all times.
Thanks to Club Rainbow, Mdm Lim has managed to get both financial and emotional support. Mdm Lim first came to know Club Rainbow 16 years ago through 2 doctors, who acted as her pillars of support, when she felt at her wits’ end as she learned that her younger daughter had biliary atresia (a congenital chronic disease where the bile ducts are blocked or too narrow). The Club Rainbow social workers made her feel like family as they helped her through the emotional roller coaster. Club Rainbow has also supported her financially for her younger daughter’s first liver transplant when she had difficulties raising the pre-surgery deposit and once again when her younger daughter underwent a second liver transplant.
Mdm Lim wants to tell the world that not every sickness has a cure, but that is not the end of the world. Not every parent has a smooth journey and she hopes that everyone has more empathy and sympathy toward parents who are going through tough journeys with children suffering from chronic illnesses and undiagnosed conditions. She believes parents with special needs children should tell their story to the world because if parents can talk about it publicly, they can destigmatise their child’s condition and create awareness. Being embarrassed does not help the child and certainly not those around them because those who have not journeyed with the parents will not understand how much the family has endured and how they can help.
Despite all odds in her circumstances, Ashley has stood her ground and fought her illness with positivity and resilience. She currently provides free tuition to children along the borders of Myanmar and Thailand and has registered for the Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) programme. Aspiring to be a social worker to give back to society, she applied for a psychology course at a Polytechnic, which she was accepted into. As we admire Ashley’s never-say-die attitude and wish her all the best, we hope you share her story with your friends and family to raise awareness and support Ashley and her family in their journey.
Celebrating Heroes 2022
Watch the Exemplary Caregiver Video - click here
Ride for Rainbows 2022 and 30th Anniversary Birthday Bash
Club Rainbow (Singapore)’s biggest event of the year, Ride for Rainbows 2022 and the 30th Anniversary Birthday Bash have successfully concluded on 27 November 2022.
The physical Ride for Rainbows is back after being virtual for 2 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic!
In conjunction with Club Rainbow (Singapore)’s 30th Anniversary, this year's edition for Ride for Rainbows is met with a hybrid format, giving our riders the flexibility to participate in a physical or virtual ride. We also had a birthday bash carnival with a tons of carnival games and rides at the end of the physical ride to celebrate this very special day and spend a fun filled day with our beneficiaries and their families!
On that day, there were over 600 participants and volunteers who turned up at Marina Barrage. This includes 78 families, close to 200 riders and over 100 staff and volunteers.
With that, we would like to take this opportunity to express our utmost gratitude to all our supporting parties, including our beneficiaries and their families, sponsors, riders, donors, staff and volunteers! This event would not be possible without everyone’s help and support.
We hope to see you all again for Ride for Rainbows next year!
Please email rfr@clubrainbow.org to be a part of Ride for Rainbows next year!
Choose to be Happy!
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”
Everybody tends to say this to someone having a wrong time, but what does happy mean? Is it that easy to be satisfied?
The word happy is generally defined as a feeling of pleasure or contentment. Such feelings could arise from something as simple as eating something delicious or seeing something beautiful; and can be immediately felt by a child who just got a new toy.
So, what do we do when we are having a bad day and finding it challenging to feel happy? Although we are told that it is fine to embrace our negative feelings, we could always go a step further by embracing those bad feelings and then taking action to exchange them for more positive thoughts. A bad day is no reason to ignore all other good parts of life. Many studies have linked happiness to health as a good mood helps us smile more, sleep better, and feel more energetic.
One easy way to feel pleasure and contentment is to be thankful. I like to keep a gratitude journal to remind myself of things I am grateful for throughout the day. Small mundane things, like the bus arriving on time or remembering to bring an umbrella on a rainy day. By doing so, you will likely realise that you are luckier than you think. I also know someone who practices ‘gratitude hour’ where he spends an hour every Friday sending emails thanking people who helped him throughout the week.
Most people have also heard of the adage – It’s better to give than to receive. While rewarding ourselves, we must also remember that we are all capable of spreading happiness by building a more compassionate world and not forgetting the needy. You could start by gifting to those who need it or volunteering your time, as experiences provide a higher level of happiness than material items.
If there is one particular day each year where we should put in extra effort to purge all negative emotions from our system, that would be 20 March, also known as the International Day of Happiness. First celebrated on 20 March 2013, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Happiness to make people worldwide realise the importance of happiness in their lives. Building on the idea, the United Nations also launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals aiming to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and protect our planet to make people’s lives happier. (More information can be found here: https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals)
Here at Club Rainbow, we hope that our beneficiaries can live as happily as possible despite the challenges they face in their lives. In conjunction with this year’s International Day of Happiness, we would appreciate your support for our efforts to make this world a better place for children in Singapore living with chronic illnesses. Actions matter, and you can make happiness a choice every day!
Written by: Tang Su Yen
Edited by: Club Rainbow (Singapore)
We welcome volunteers to support our beneficiaries and passionate individuals who like to kickstart creative fundraising initiatives. Email us at crscpm@clubrainbow.org to start your journey with us today! Other ways you can be part of - https://www.clubrainbow.org/take-action.