Mr Graydon Tan

Operations Director

Hope Community Services Centre

Miss Angeline Ng

Project Co-ordinator for Care & Share Programme

Mr Mohan Sachariah

Director

Hope Community Services Centre

Friends and Fellow Citizens

A very good afternoon to all of you

It is an honour to honour those who deserve it. Our senior citizens deserve to be honoured because we owe what we are today to them. Many of them left their home villages, braved the ocean, to arrive at Singapore. As early immigrants, they endured hardship and exploitation. They knew they would not get rich, but believed that if they worked hard, their children and grandchildren might. They invested their hope and faith in our generation, and gave us the best. They planted the trees yesterday so that we could enjoy the shade today.

We must remember what they have done for us, draw inspiration from their spirit, and contribute to our next generation in the same unselfish way. This is the way society can continue to progress.

Today, through the good work of the Hope Community Services Centre, we pay tribute to our senior citizens – about 1,000 of them are here. Although they do not ask for it, we must express our appreciation. We wish to say to you a very big "Thank You"! We hope that they enjoy themselves today and take a well deserved short break after all the hard work they have put in for us.

I would like to commend Hope Community Services Centre for organising this event, and the many volunteers who have contributed their efforts. Let us continue to show our love and appreciation to our senior citizens. This is the least we can do for them to reciprocate for their contributions. We can also benefit from their experience and wisdom. Do keep up the good work and all the best. Thank you.

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