Ride for Rainbows 2021: KrisShop

With less than one month away from Ride for Rainbows 2021, we want to thank our sponsors for supporting our 10th run of this fundraising event. One of the sponsors – KrisShop, Miss Raelene Johnson, Chief Commercial Officer, share their support for children with lifelong illnesses and their families.

When asked what about Club Rainbow (Singapore) strikes out for KrisShop, Miss Johnson responded without hesitation, 'Club Rainbow has a history spanning 30 years. Given the organisation's significant purpose-driven work in Singapore, it is almost impossible for a local entity like KrisShop not to be aware of their contributions in empowering children with chronic illnesses. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Club Rainbow, knowing that our partnership can help make a difference, however small.'

Giving back to the community has always been one of the core drivers of their business, and most exemplified through their KrisShop Cares concept store on KrisShop.com. Miss Johnson shared enthusiastically with a smile, 'Given our heart for social causes, we jumped at the opportunity to support Club Rainbow when we heard from our partner, Singapore Airlines, that there was a way that we could do so meaningfully!'

Supporting different community collaborations over the years, Miss Johnson highlighted 'Key criterion that KrisShop has with working with nonprofit organisations is the alignment of values and vision'. She stated 'Integrity is a key value of Club Rainbow that mirrors ours. At KrisShop, we pride ourselves on being honest, transparent and committed to doing what's best for our customers and our company.'. Another one of Club Rainbow's values that resonates strongly with KrisShop is empowering individuals to achieve their full potential - an aspect that KrisShop seeks to accomplish daily with their employees and even partners.

Miss Johnson struck a chord with other local entities when she expressed …

Read more - https://bit.ly/2Xg4z0G

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For Ride for Rainbows 2021, KrisShop is sponsoring a limited edition SIA mahjong set featuring the airline’s iconic batik motif and flight-related elements on the tiles. If you haven't sign up, you have till 26 September to register, qualify and stand a chance to walk away with this limited edition! - https://www.rideforrainbows.org.

Scaling Everest in Singapore

Unique Fundraising: Part II

By Rachele Foo, Content Contributor

If we have to name one of the silver linings in this pandemic, it could be discovering new hobbies. Due to new social distancing rules during this pandemic, many have looked for alternative forms of entertainment, and some have turned to the outdoors to catch a breather. Through this, Ding Yang, Pete, Mark, Andre, Alvin and Jun Long became interested in cycling and formed bonds through their similar love for it. As their passion for cycling grew, they turned their hobby into something much bigger and meaningful. They decided to start a fundraiser together as Team Aweveresting, where they would raise funds by embarking on the Everesting challenge.

This idea originated from a Strava challenge. The challenge in June was to complete an elevation of

8,848m, similar to that of Mount Everest, on a bicycle, and they could clock the distance at their own pace across the entire month. As they were discussing, they mentioned in passing that they could complete the whole distance at one go. However, thinking of it just as a joke, they all laughed it off.

Then, Ding Yang decided to challenge himself and completed half of the total distance at once on his own. Seeing him achieve it, the rest of the team were motivated and hence decided to embark on the challenge where Ding Yang would attempt the entire Everesting challenge of 8,848m while the rest of the group would attempt the basecamp climb of 4,424m. For the challenge to be considered successful, they would have to finish the entire distance without sleeping.

It took them about 12h to complete the climb of 4,424m, and for the whole thing, it took Ding Yang around 30h. It was extremely gruelling for them; however, when they felt like giving up, they remembered what one of their teammates, Jun Long said,

“Our pain will last for only 1 to 2 days, but these children are facing chronic diseases, and they are battling it every day of their lives.”

The support from their family and friends who brought food to where they were attempting the challenge also greatly encouraged them.

In total, they raised $18,795, which is no small feat.

When asked why they think it is important to give back to society, one of the members mentioned that giving back to the community helps him stay humble and reminds him that there is a bigger purpose to life than just working and earning money.

Lastly, regarding whether they are planning to do this again, the team replied that they hope to do so and might even consider making it an annual event, though they might change the challenge.

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Kickstart a giving back journey to the vulnerable little ones in the community!

Your efforts will be doubled as part of the Fortitude Budget, the government is matching donations to charities dollar-for-dollar till 31 March 2022.

To better support NPOs and givers, there will be NO TRANSACTION FEES on Giving.sg till 31 March 2022. Therefore, 100% of your donations will go to Club Rainbow (Singapore).

Do contact us crscpm@clubrainbow.org and we can guide you along to begin your journey with us today.

First Virtual Ride For Rainbows

2020’s edition of Ride For Rainbows, one of Singapore’s largest charity cycling event proudly presented by Club Rainbow (Singapore), proved to be an extraordinary one. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ride For Rainbows was transform into a virtual ride for the first time in its nine years of history.

Milestones for Ride For Rainbows 2020.

Spanning from 3 to 11 October 2020, a total of 483 riders geared up across the island to participate; riding anytime and anywhere, on any bicycle. With our riders’ support and outright donations from the public, a total of $544,134 was raised by the end of the fundraising period.

At the virtual flag-off, viewers were treated to a Hip-Hop performance by our beneficiaries. They also got to e-meet our patron and caregiver.

A midnight virtual flag-off with our patron and guest-of-honour, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, was held on 3 October 2020. Viewers of the Facebook Live stream were treated to a Hip-Hop dance performance by our budding young dancers. Guided by Converge Studios' instructors, one of our Arts Programme Collaborators, the specially choreographed dance performance was made possible through long hours of rehearsals by our children.

Caregiver Siti and her son, Sayfullah, participated in Ride For Rainbows 2020 as Team Rainbow members.

At the virtual flag-off, viewers also learned more about caregiver Siti Fadillah, whose two children have been with Club Rainbow for more than 10 years. However, what made Ride For Rainbows exceptional for Siti and her son Sayfullah this year, was that they participated as riders!

“Given this opportunity, it is to raise awareness about the beneficiaries of Club Rainbow. I wanted Sayfullah to join this year because we want to give back to Club Rainbow. We also can inspire others to look at their abilities, not disabilities,” said Siti. Her sentiments perfectly encapsulated our motivations behind setting up a category for beneficiaries with mobility constraints this year. As members of Team Rainbow, every participating child was with a caregiver who pushed the child on a wheelchair for a distance of 2km.

Our beneficiary, Royce, was invited to design a commissioned artwork for the Ride For Rainbows 2020 jersey.

Highlight reel, featuring some of our riders’ moments.

To cheer on our riders, participating riders were entitled to their very own ride pack. An exclusive Ride For Rainbows 2020 jersey was included in each ride pack, featuring a piece of commissioned artwork specially created by our beneficiary, Royce!

While the Ride For Rainbows 2020 experience was surely a different one from previous years, our participating riders managed to chase rainbows on their own and made beautiful memories out of their virtual rides.

Fundraising team from Aberdeen Standard Investments: The Bakers Dozen.

A stark contrast to the usual cheers of support at previous years’ flag-off points, fundraising team The Bakers Dozen found that the frogs’ chorus through East Coast was something to behold. Abiding by the Phase 2 regulations, they separated into different groups and set out on their bicycles at 4.30 am, celebrating with post-ride breakfasts after completion.

For our top individual fundraiser Eugene Ngiam, engaging in good conversation with friends he had lost touch with was a highlight of the fundraising process.

Our top fundraiser, Eugene Ngiam, was motivated to go all the way due to the support he received from loved ones.

As said by the Ride For Rainbows 2020 committee, we couldn't have done it without our riders, donors, and sponsors. Even though Ride for Rainbows was converted into a virtual ride this year, it didn’t dampen our participating riders’ passions in raising funds for our cause. Thanking our top fundraisers and teams, we met up with them in December 2020 to present tokens of appreciation to them.

For first-timers thinking of joining Ride For Rainbows, Jerome, team leader of our top fundraising team The CBS Boys, says: “Get the bike out of the storeroom and join RFR in 2021. Your efforts will make a big impact on the challenging lives of about 1,200 chronically ill kids and their families. Help tell those stories of CRS beneficiaries, so others will come to know of the awesome work done. It is a great experience and a good start to volunteer.”

Club Rainbow (Singapore) would like to express our utmost gratitude to all supporting parties. We look forward to your participation in Ride For Rainbows 2021!

Email rfr@clubrainbow.org to find out more on Ride For Rainbows 2021!

Rules of Virtual Challenges – FUN, FUN, FUN!

BHP brings fun to Club Rainbow children and their families during #stayhome period.

Circuit breaker. Work From Home. Home-Based Learning.

These are the three keywords buzzing around in the last three months for everyone from all walks of life, affected regardless. More so for chronically-ill children.

Amidst the uncertainty caused by Covid-19, the usual outdoor activities, social integrations, corporate CSR engagements were all postponed to ensure safety for everyone and to be in-line with the Government prevention initiatives. Everything we know seems to be online or done virtually. But what about the children with Club Rainbow? One corporate - BHP helped to bring fun and interaction all the same to these children.

During the circuit breaker, BHP collaborated with Club Rainbow to bring about a series of virtual challenges to engage the children. The Dalgona Coffee Making Challenge, Trash to Treasure Upcycling Challenge, Make your own Stay Home Video Challenge. BHP also kindly sponsored prizes for the Top three winners from both activities - Trash to Treasure Upcycling and Make your own Stay Home Video Challenge.

These challenges gave the children and their families an opportunity to bond and appreciate family time together. From trying their hand at the trending whipped cream with coffee to upheaving their homes for recyclable items to create something useful and finally getting their act together for a stay home video, brought out the creativity in everyone.

Top three winners from Trash to Treasure Upcycling:

1. Teo Li Li (Stool from Recycling bottles)

2. Aiden Chan (Space Mission Game from recycled materials)

3. Garren Sum (Mother’s Day Card from recycled materials

Read more - https://bit.ly/37rW1EU-CSR_with_BHP

First published in Club Rainbow Singapore LinkedIn article.

Come what may...

Come rain or shine, caregivers of our children will always stand by their little ones.

Why should we step back when haze and rain came upon us on the Saturday morning of Celebrating Heroes 2019? All the more to put our best foot forward in acknowledging their admirable efforts and to celebrate these unwavering everyday unsung heroes.

We hosted close to 1000 participants this year, which includes our children, their families and volunteers. The event was held at the Singapore Zoo, amongst nature – both flora and fauna. We are happy to have our guest emcee, Mr Gurmit Singh who has been supporting Club Rainbow (Singapore) since our humble beginnings.

Two programme tracks ran concurrently. One for caregivers with various activities such as yoga, self-massaging techniques, ways to manage stress and anxiety, etc. while the children's programme managed by the NTU team – treasure hunt and fringe activities both of which received an overwhelming response from our little ones and caregivers!

We were blessed to have volunteers from FTI consulting, Andaz, Singapore Healthcare, Young Living, NTU, NUS, SIM and our ardent regulars. With these passionate volunteers coming together to brave the hazy and grey morning with us helped to bring the event through to a sunny afternoon for everyone.

We received both thanks and positive feedback from families and volunteers! Awesome day for all!

Taking a cue from our caregivers, don't let the bad weather outlook get you down. Here are ways to keep healthy, take a B.R.E.A.K and stay on top:

• Build deep connections by staying connected with support groups, friends and family.

• Reconcile with yourself daily with tips from wellness and mindfulness workshops.

• Eat healthily and rest regularly.

• Always seek help when needed.

• Keep hydrated at all times, most importantly.

The first of many to come!

Claps of welcome broke through the silence of the theatre as our lovely and gentle Ms Tan Zhi Lin walked to the stage to take place by her soulmate, the Grand Piano.

Audiences immediately fell in love with the first presentation of the instrumental piece and needless to say more, they were captivated not only by the beautiful masterpieces but more so the sheer courage and calmness which our children displayed as they walked on the stage with such self-confidence.

In the weeks working up towards the day of self-actualisation in achieving the moment of displaying their talents before a hall of instrumental enthusiasts, there were ups and downs no doubt.

One of our young talent who is aspiring to be in the field of Linguistics Pathology have been playing the guzheng for more than ten years - Samuel Lim. We managed to speak with him just before his performance where he cheerfully shared, ‘Exhilarating moment for me because although I have performed before but never once with an orchestra.’ Samuel also took the opportunity to express his thanks and love for his family’s unwavering support over the years. He encourages and wants to affirm the children of Club Rainbow – ‘Do your best! But don’t forget to have fun!’

Definitely will be a memorable evening for Samuel and not only his parents but all the parents of Club Rainbow’s young performers as we caught up with Anastasia’s mother, Mdm Kim.

Almost overwhelmed by emotions and holding back a teary look, she gasped ‘We are blessed to be part of Club Rainbow Singapore (CRS), and that she (Anastasia) could get a chance to perform at the Esplanade theatre. Thank you, RedHat too.’ Expressing that her daughter loves drumming so much that she had to always remind Anastasia of other priorities like her studies. Much like Samuel, Anastasia’s 1st performing opportunity was at the Dreamseeds Art Fest 2016. No stopping this young girl as she drummed passionately, expressing her feelings through each beat that evening.

A proud moment not only for frontstage but also for Felicia Lee, the Senior Executive from our Programmes Development Department working behind the scenes. She has been helping to coordinate the weekly rehearsals since the start of the year, and highlighted ‘their efforts were truly paid off by their outstanding performance.’ One of the best moment for her was witnessing their improvement – ‘some of them have not had experience playing with a large orchestra before/or on such large stages, but they looked like pros!’

Jun Rong’s (another of our young talent whose passion lies with the harmonica) dedication of his performance to Felicia came as a sweet surprise for her to which she smiled in acceptance of his appreciation for her continued support and encouragement.

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Our Council Member, Ms Karen Tan and Deputy Executive Director, Mr Teo Siang Loong, were both present to cheer on our children as they crossed an impressive milestone on stage. Overall, the event was one to remember for a long time to come. We hope that our children will have many more opportunities such as these to bring them further in their passion for music.

For more enquiries on organising similar events with our children, please reach out to us –crscpm@clubrainbow.org.

Beneficiary Shaista recollect her memories at Camp Rainbow'19

Contributing Way & Beyond

Norashikin (Pictured Left), seen smiling at last year’s Ride for Rainbows

Hello Shikin! How many editions of Ride for Rainbows have you done?

I have been involved since Year 2013 and this year will be my 7th year!

How do you feel about helping out?

It’s still work of course but most importantly.. I enjoyed the experience wholeheartedly as it gives me the pleasure of helping the families in need.

Somewhere along the way, I learnt that there is nothing greater than to do something for others. “Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have”.

What is your biggest motivation to do this year after year?

My biggest motivation will still be the beneficiaries, seeing them kept me going year after year.

And not forgetting all the riders who participated and fundraise for our children and their families. Without their effort and strength, RFR will not be a success.

“A person's most useful asset is not the head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love”.

Shikin is taking her inaugural ride at this year’s Ride for Rainbows! Show your support and encouragement to her here

Mr Henry Lim will be riding his 7th Edition of Ride for Rainbows this year

What motivated you to take part in Ride for Rainbows since its inception in 2012?

 Since young, I have always enjoyed cycling as it provided a form of recreation, mode of transport, exercise and  sporting pursuit. Back in 2012, I came to know of Ride for Rainbows through a former school mate and a fellow cycling enthusiast.

Their idea of initiating support of Club Rainbow and its beneficiaries through a cycling fund raiser event resonated with me. I roped in a few of my colleagues from our company’s Sports and Recreation Club, to cycle, sponsor our ride and others to help with photography efforts.

Completing each consecutive ride was tough on the mind and body as we covered distances of 100km, cycling all round Singapore and in the middle of the night. I derived a huge sense of satisfaction and fulfilment from each completion of the long ride, knowing that the funds raised will help alleviate the plight of the children and their families as they cope with their illnesses. I look forward to continuing my efforts in combining cycling and fund raising for a worthwhile cause.

Do you have anything to tell our children or other fundraising riders?

 For the children and families of Club Rainbow - We want you to know that we are with you in spirit. Keep up the fighting spirit and stay positive. For my fellow fund raisers and riders – Let’s band and ride together as a caring community and do our best in our fund raising activities. Let’s look out for each other during the ride, ride safely and with due consideration for our fellow riders and other road users.

Ride for Rainbows 2019 is now open for registration. For more information, please click here

Creating Rainbow Memories

An inaugural run of Rainbow Memories was held at the MOX Auditorium on 8th December where all our graduating beneficiaries were invited to an intimate lunch session! It was a celebration of their journey with Club Rainbow thus far and it was heart warming to see how they have developed oneself with much strength and tenacity.

Together, beneficiaries put together a collage of how they envision their future and the hopes and wishes they have for the brand new year of 2019! It was definitely an event to remember, particularly to the staff and social workers who have played an important part of their journey..

At Club Rainbow, we want to wish all our graduating beneficiaries the very best in their lives ahead.

Words of Appreciation from our LO (Little Ones)

Club Rainbow (Singapore) is an independent charity that relies largely on corporate and public donations as well as government grants and funding to support our mission and sustain our work and daily operations.   

Thus, we have invited all our beneficiaries to share their love back to both individual and corporate donors who have been supporting Club Rainbow (Singapore) over the last 26 years and many more to come. Some of the many messages from our little ones…

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Chee Yik Teng, 6

Audrey Nathania Agustiawan, 7

Joshua Nepolian, 5

Oon Hong Yang Lucus, 11

Grace Vera Ng, 8

Raphael Wee, 8

A number of our beneficiaries sharing their thanks and sending their love to all you beautiful donors out there who have made the challenges that they faced daily manageable through your contributions.

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