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.

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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.

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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

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.

Little in appearance, big in heart

Three young children, one common goal. Acts of compassion and service are slowly but surely growing among young children.

Mr Andrew Yeo with daughter, Charlotte Yeo.

While packing up her room one day, 9-year-old Charlotte Yeo suggested donating her toys – some of which were new – to charity. That was when her father, Andrew Yeo, suggested holding a garage sale instead, in conjunction with her C for Charity project.

C for Charity was initiated by Andrew, who wishes to inculcate the spirit of volunteerism into Charlotte. Funds will be raised through activities calling for donations (e.g. rollerblading for 10km), garage sales, bake sales, and sale of crafts such as handmade jewellery or slime.

The father-daughter duo aims to raise $1,000 for Club Rainbow by the end of this year. “$1,000 isn’t a lot, but it is something I would like to start my daughter with,” Andrew said.

As a young girl, Charlotte already practices empathy to those who are less fortunate than her. She believes that no form of help is too little, as long as it makes an impact on others’ lives.

The rollerblading enthusiast has taken a page out of her father’s book, as Andrew also strongly believes in volunteerism. “Many of us live in a very comfortable world in Singapore. Sometimes we do forget that there are those who need more help than others,” Andrew shared.  

Charlotte is just one of many children who have come forward to support their less fortunate counterparts. Zoe, who is 9 years old as well, raised $3,000 from her self-initiated fundraising campaign where she baked cookies and created arts and crafts items to gift donors.

Zoe Tan, 9-year-old raised funds through baked cookies. She created arts and crafts items to gift donors.

“There is so much we can do to support the less fortunate children and those whose family has to carry a great burden to work for hard-earned money and has to instead pay for school fees, medical expenses and much more,” Zoe said.

“She has learnt a lot about the different types of needs and difficulties that children and families might experience, as well as different ways in which one could be of service to others,” Zoe’s mum shared.

Raising money, let alone a 6-digit sum, may seem like an almost impossible feat to young children who have barely passed the first decade of their lives.

10-year-old Chng Rui Jie raised a combined sum of $250,000 for beneficiaries of various charities, most significantly, rabbits.

According to Channel News Asia, SPCA and Care Singapore are among the 18 organisations Rui Jie has helped raised funds for.

To date, Rui Jie has raised $6000 for Club Rainbow through her online campaign - ‘I Pray for Hope’.

Her campaign frenzy was ignited by her desire to help hungry rabbits, and her most successful campaign thus far raised more than $56,000 for Primary One to Two children as part of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. 

Titled “I Pray for Hope”, the campaign Rui Jie started for Club Rainbow raised $6,000 to date.

“As a young girl, I think rainbows represent hope, and everyone should have a chance to receive and experience hope.”

All the money raised for Club Rainbow will be used to finance our children’s weekly therapy services, development programmes and provide financial assistance for their families.

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If you are inspired and excited to start your first fundraising campaign, do contact us at crscpm@clubrainbow.org, and we will be happy to assist you.

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

Reaching Out from Beyond the Screen

By Eugene Koh, Content Contributor

 A group of students from Dunman High School curates virtual webinars to raise awareness and funds for the chronically ill in Singapore.

With the ring of the new decade, 2020 did not come in like a bell for good luck. But rather, an ominous siren that shook humanity to its core. COVID-19 has caused many plans to be disrupted or put to a standstill. Stay-at-home orders were given, and our social interactions were reduced to text message and video calls.

As desolate as the situation sounds, a group of students from Dunman High School were undeterred and determined to contribute back to society – even if they’re limited to behind the webcam.

“Project EMBRAVE” was the brainchild of Nicole Yeo, Ashley Yeo, Lin Weilin, Hu Yuzhou and Lee Wyne Sze. In collaboration with Club Rainbow Singapore, they aim to garner more support and to increase awareness for the chronically ill in society. “We felt touched that these children are so courageous in their fight against their illnesses and hence hoped for more people to embrace and understand them.” says Nicole, Founder of Project EMBRAVE. Merging the words ‘Embrace’ and ‘Bravery’, embrave means to “inspire with courage” and “dare to empower, empower to dare”.

- Project Embrave with Ms Dawn Sim

Through the use of social media and by word-of-mouth, the team had managed to garner a total of 47 donors to raise a total of S$2,700 through their webinar sessions. In these sessions, donors would bid for art pieces done by Club Rainbow’s beneficiaries which feature each child’s passions, hopes and aspirations. Apart from that, the group also reached out to prominent social media personalities like Ms Cheryl Wee and Ms Dawn Sim to speak about entrepreneurship and fitness tips. Tickets start from S$10.

- Project Embrave with Cheryl Wee

All of the proceeds go towards Club Rainbow Singapore where the money would be used for a range of services rendered - financial aid, food rations, therapy sessions and programmes for development. As the pandemic has caused financial and emotional instability, the group hopes to alleviate the beneficiaries’ financial burden through their efforts. They also wish to motivate beneficiaries to maintain a positive attitude and to always be resilient despite facing difficulties.

Spanning across 2 months from planning to execution, the group began working on this project during the 2020 Singapore Circuit Breaker measures. Where the bulk of the planning stage was done entirely online without face-to-face discussions. “At times, things could get a little messy, and it was hard to coordinate our plans. However, I believe that because we all knew each other well, we could work well with each other and overcome the limitations posed by the pandemic.” Says Nicole.

Although the group did not hit the amount they set to raise, they were proud and content to see their campaign materialise, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The speakers and webinar attendees also agreed that the webinar sessions were inspiring, and they had learned so much about the children of Club Rainbow as well as the unique challenges faced by these children. Nicole said that the group was very humbled by the experience as it gave them many opportunities to interact and learn about the stories of individuals from all walks of life. Overcoming challenges posed by the pandemic, the team is looking to initiate future projects.

“Giving back to society should not be seen as something compulsory. Rather, it should be done with sincerity and having the true willingness to help others.”

–Nicole Yeo, PROJECT EMBRAVE

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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 2021. Therefore, 100% of your donations will go to Club Rainbow (Singapore).

Do contact us crscpm@clubrainbow.org and we can guide you along to your first online campaign.

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Eugene Koh

A social butterfly at heart, Eugene enjoys engaging with the people around him and building meaningful connections. He aspires to use his gift to engage and influence mass markets and make an impactful change in society.

When not mugging for his exams or fulfilling his National service duties, you can find him lurking around the pantry or queuing for bubble tea.