Speech by President S R Nathan at President’s Challenge Thank You Reception and President’s Social Service Award 2007

Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
Minister-of-State Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon
Mr Niam Chiang Meng, Chairman, President’s Challenge Steering Committee
RADM (Ret) Kwek Siew Jin, President, National Council of Social Service
Distinguished Guests, Friends and Fellow Singaporeans

          For some of you, this may be your first time attending the President’s Challenge Thank You reception. I am most heartened, as always, to welcome all of you who have worked hard for President’s Challenge this year to the Istana and to convey my thanks and appreciation for your part in making President’s Challenge 2007 a success for the eighth year running.

2        Thanks to your overwhelming support, participation and generosity, we have once again raised more than the $8 million target set this year. To date, we have raised $11.1 million, the biggest amount over the last eight years, and there are still a couple of events to go. I thank each and every one of you for making this possible, especially those who have been faithfully contributing to President’s Challenge for many years. I am most gratified by your steadfast support.

3        At the launch in May, I also set a new challenge, to get 250,000 people to participate in President’s Challenge 2007. I believe that involvement in the act of charity, be it as fundraiser, volunteer, or participant in a charity event, was just as important as contributing money to worthy causes. Your response to my challenge has been overwhelming. We started with more than 10,000 attending the launch of this year’s Challenge at the Singapore Turf Club.  Students from more than 80 schools and staff, their families and friends and volunteers from over 100 corporate and non-profit organisations have added to that number.  So it gives me great pleasure tonight to announce that more than 260,000 of you did your part for President’s Challenge this year, in one way or another. I thank Singaporeans and other well-wishers for heeding the call to give, in their own little ways, their time, talent and money to society through the President’s Challenge.

4        At the Singapore Turf Club Patron’s Bowl event held in June this year, for example, renowned local artist Tan Swie Hian donated one of his paintings to be auctioned during the dinner. At the Thank You reception last year, I mentioned the Lee sisters who sold bookmarks for President’s Challenge. This year, they made and sold beaded accessories such as rings and bracelets and donated their proceeds.

5        For the past seven years, groups of young men from the Boys’ Brigade have been providing meaningful and innovative community services to charity. In July this year, some of the boys brought the children of Fei Yue Student Care Centre out for a day of fun at the beach. The little ones - some of whom seldom have the opportunity to go on such outings - enjoyed themselves tremendously. I am sure the experience was something they would remember for a very long time.

6        I am thankful for the kindness of all who donated, from the schoolchildren who took part in the Be Yourself Day celebrations, to the likes of consistent donors such as the Lee Foundation which donated $1.5 million this year.

7        I also thank our Challenge Sponsors, the Singapore Totalisator Board and Singapore Pools, for their sustained support of $1.2 million to help underwrite the costs of President’s Challenge. About half of this amount will go towards the beneficiaries directly.

8        I would also like to acknowledge the hard work put in by the Chairman, Niam Chiang Meng, and members of the President’s Challenge Steering Committee for their dedicated participation, year after year. Your continued support has created an avenue for promoting volunteerism and the President’s Challenge message every year.

9        To the many others who volunteered or were actively involved in President’s Challenge, I believe that you have found the experience fulfilling and I hope you will be inspired to take on yet another Challenge next year.

10       Now, allow me to focus on the President’s Social Service Awards. Tonight it is befitting that we use this event to also pay tribute to a special group of individuals and organisations for their many years of unwavering support and selfless dedication towards the less fortunate in our society.

11       Volunteers are one of the main pillars supporting the social service sector. Having been a social worker and volunteer before, I fully understand the dedication and commitment that is called for to serve the less fortunate in our community. I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all the volunteers who have selflessly offered their time, talent and energy to help the less privileged.

12       The President’s Social Service Awards, the pinnacle awards for volunteering in the social service sector, provides recognition to individuals, groups and corporations who have demonstrated long-term commitment to the social service needs of the community. This year, four winners will receive the Awards for their tireless dedication and commitment to serving the community. They are an inspiration and role model to others and it is my wish that many more will emulate their fine examples to bring about a higher level of community involvement in Singapore.

13       This year’s PSSA winners have once again demonstrated to us that compassion and the spirit of caring are alive and well in Singapore. Let us all be inspired by the good work of volunteers like the winners in the four categories, and let us all play our part, however small, in reaching out to bring more comfort and hope to the less fortunate.

14       Once again, I congratulate the President’s Social Service Award recipients, and thank the President’s Challenge 2007 partners and every one of you present for nurturing a sense of hope through your collective consciousness and effort.

          Thank you and have an enjoyable evening.