CEOs host garden party for 1500 needy

[tankee]

SINGAPORE: The big wigs of the corporate world came together to host a party for the needy.


They treated about 1,500 people from low-income families, mainly living in rental blocks, to a garden party at the Istana.

The project is an initiative led by Corporate Singapore and supported by the People's Association.

Nine of them gamely performed the dragon dance at the party including entertaining performances like Indian dance and Taiko drumming.

They also met President Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife, Mrs Mary Tan.

Dr Tan helped to serve traditional Chinese dessert called \"Tang Yuan\".

It's the first time the CEOs from some 30 private companies volunteered in \"Project We Care\".

Wee Wei Ling, chairperson of the CEO committee, said: \"I hope the CEOs will lead the staff to participate in this charity event, and are able to influence other CEOs to come on board.\"

The project will kick-start various other projects initiated by the CEO committee.

The group will also be showcasing their corporate social responsibility programmes at this year's Chingay Parade.

- CNA/ck

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175509/1/.html

[tankee]

Garden Party? :scratchhead:


I am sure that these 1500 needy's life have been improved by this garden party :roll:

Surely these top earners, strategic thinking CEOs can come up with much better ideas on how best to help the needy. Or it is just a weekend wayang for news coverage. :siao:

[3Boys]

tankee:

Garden Party? :scratchhead:


I am sure that these 1500 needy's life have been improved by this garden party :roll:

Surely these top earners, strategic thinking CEOs can come up with much better ideas on how best to help the needy. Or it is just a weekend wayang for news coverage. :siao:

There is no win for the high earners in Singapore. Sit on your hands, get accused of passivity, do a high profile event, get accused of wayang. So how?

I'm sure that there is more behind the scenes than the reported garden party, lets not be too quick to leap in and castigate. Poor families get a chance to go to the Istana, have free makan and lion dance show, also quite nice way to spend weekend right?

[Strparent]

not sure about the 1500 famiies invited, but imho the underlying intention is good and worthy, but perhaps the method of execution is at best subjective.


It's like the lord, noting the poor hungry peasants in the nearby villages, and then inviting them to his big mansion for a banquet. so yes, they appreciate the gesture, the thought, but they also see how the affluent wears, lives, how much their lifestyles differs.

Garden party ? maybe a better option would be a BBQ, buffet gathering at the local RC or void deck. Just my personal opinion, of coz.

I was impressed with some SDP activites which they organised with their limited budget last year, AFTER the elections. Of course, there may be an agenda behind, but the efforts were worth applauding.

http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4915-dr-leong-yan-hoi-makes-house-calls-to-those-in-need

http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4907-democrats-step-up-assistance-to-marsiling-needy-families

http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4990-democrats-host-first-ever-block-party-

[tankee]

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.


These CEOs should take a leaf out of "Once upon a Village", where professional went to rural villages and taught the villagers a trade or a skill that would help to improve the villagers’ life. They did not bring "Tang Yuan" nor did lion dance.

IMHO no one would like to be labelled a "needy". To be invited to a party then labelled as a needy is not helping their self confidence.

[laughingcat]

All this extras like "lion dance" can be put into better use. So this is is what i call wayang.

[Nebbermind]

but maybe the lion dance is FOC from some volunteer grp? alot of people will grab the chance to perform in the istana in front of the president.

[UncleLim]

The intention was good. But the project team probably did not check with the beneficiaries what they really really want.


When I was very little I remember I bought my mum a toy gun for her birthday. It cost me a couple of bucks from my own savings. I am sure my mum had many hours of fun playing with it.

[Strparent]

UncleLim:

The intention was good. But the project team probably did not check with the beneficiaries what they really really want.


When I was very little I remember I bought my mum a toy gun for her birthday. It cost me a couple of bucks from my own savings. I am sure my mum had many hours of fun playing with it.

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

it's like buying a new vacuum cleaner for the wife's birthday ? :evil: :siam:

[HVR]

Sometimes I really don’t understand why people can be so negative and unreceptive. Bias, perhaps. If you have no intention to see any good in an act, you won’t see it.


Why can’t this event be a start for something? To risk over simplifying things, who say among the 1500 ‘needy’ none of them will be inspired by this experience, the mingling with the successful, the thought provoking talks, etc and thus strive to do better in their life? If these 1500 needy are all old folks and no future to speak of, at least this is a treat to them, no? At least this is showing of compassion to the less successful?

If you don’t mingle, you are elitists, if you do, you are wayang. Even if you are not elitists and not wayanging, you are doing it wrongly.

We have been saying our government is a ‘nanny’ government, perhaps it is now time for the critics to lay now a detailed plan specifying exactly what they think how thing should be done to address the various social, economy, transport, housing issues, etc. The respond is of course they will say they are not the one in charge, not the one drawing high salary and simply put, it is not their job. Granted, but please bear in mind if you really care, you can do much more than criticize partially.