“Art is a place for children to learn to trust their ideas, themselves, and to explore what is possible.” ~ MaryAnne F.Kohl
The Caring and Respecting for the Elderly project came to an end. Our initial idea of having a Charity Carnival had to be cancelled due to some unforeseen circumstances. Although we didn’t get to celebrate this event or auction the children’s artwork and masterpieces as we planned, we didn’t let it stop us. DCL Syikin with the K2 & K1 children brainstormed on how we can still make full use of what we have, and still do our part in giving back to the community.
We came up with an idea to ask both Blk 486/487 and Blk 234 ~ MFS Pasir Ris centre parents, if they would like to support the children in their project/movement through donations and contribution of food items for the elderly. The ones who gives the donations/ contributions will then receive a Thank you note along with one of the children’s masterpieces; which was created with the help of Meridian Secondary School Sec 3 NT students. We believe that this will be equivalent as if auctioning the children’s work for a good cause.
We opened up three days, for the parents to send in some contributions expecting each child’s family with just 1-2 items. To our surprise, each parents gave us almost the whole list of what was given to them!! The response was just heartwarming as well as overwhelming to us.
The teachers had to stay over to pack up the contributions into boxes so that the K2’s can bring them over on the next coming Monday, during their next visit to the NTUC Silver Circle centre.
When the day finally arrived, the K1 and K2 children worked hand-in-hand as a team, carrying the heavy boxes out for them to be placed on the chartered bus. The sweat, the effort was “all worth it!” as mentioned by the K1 and K2 students.
Ms Adeline Wong, manager of NTUC Silver Circle welcomed us with a big smile seeing all the food and beverages donated to her centre. The children did their part in introducing themselves to the elderlies, entertaining them with some oldies songs like “Top of the World” by Carpenters and did the Singapore Workout along with the elderlies as their everyday morning routine. The children also guided and praised the elderlies while creating a Singapore flag and a Merlion craft activity with them. The seniors were more than happy to do the crumpling and pasting of the crepe papers onto the flags prepared. We were told that this was a good fine motor exercise for them as they crumple up the crepe papers into small balls.
Meantime, Principal Nur and Ms Adeline Wong signed a certificate of appreciation via the partnership/ collaboration built throughout our SSDB project. It is innate in each child the sense of kindness, appreciation and friendliness towards the elderly. We will be looking forward to continue visiting them monthly for years to come.
The K1’s envied that the K2’s were able to carry the items over without them. Thus, they came out with the idea of giving the elderly a “bag of kindness” each, on this coming 4th September’s visit to make it, even!☺️
All in all, through this CARE project done with the children and many other bodies collaborating and supporting us, we all learnt that…
“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something”
Thank you ECDA for giving us this most wonderful opportunity and platform in sharing our stories with you! “Start small, dream big” MFS Pasir Ris 486/ 487/ 234, signing out!
