BRIGHTENING THE LIVES OF SENIOR BENEFICIARIES THROUGH THE FIRST PAINT-A-VWO @ SOUTH WEST
Elderly beneficiaries at St Luke’s Eldercare co-create artwork with corporate volunteers to enliven their living spaces in the ElderCare Centre
Families of beneficiaries come together to celebrate family bonding
Art is a form of expressive therapy that has been used to improve one’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. Exposure to and creation of art can also improve self-esteem and awareness. It is with this in mind that the South West Community Development Council (CDC) will be bringing Let’s Paint @ South West, for the first time, to Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) in the South West District. Aptly named Let’s Paint-A-VWO @ South West, the programme aims to strengthen community ties and promote volunteerism through shared experiences of creating and enjoying art, and to deepen engagement between corporate partners and beneficiaries of the VWOs.
2 20 staff volunteers from corporate partner Emergenetics Asia Pacific will be joining elderly beneficiaries from St Luke’s ElderCare this Saturday to co-create a mural wall at St Luke’s ElderCare (Clementi Centre). Adapting comic strips designed by the elderly beneficiaries, the mural artwork not only injects colour and vibrancy to the living spaces at St Luke’s ElderCare, it also brings a sense of fulfilment to the elderly beneficiaries whose comic designs helped to bring the mural to fruition.
3 To augment this sense of personal accomplishment for the elderly beneficiaries, invitation cards specially designed for this occasion will be extended to their family members, who will be invited to add finishing touches to the mural as well as to witness the official unveiling of the completed mural wall. In addition, there will be a mini art display at the Centre to showcase other artworks created by the elderly beneficiaries.
4 89-year-old Madam Soh Peh Guat, a St Luke’s ElderCare (Clementi Centre) client who contributed comic strips to the mural project, is excited to see the wall being unveiled. “I enjoy drawing and find it relaxing. Art gives me an outlet to express myself, and I feel happy to be able to contribute in making the ElderCare Centre a more beautiful place. I hope to share my artwork with my family as well as my friends here at the Centre.”
5 Mr Ang Peng Hong, 85 years old, also a client of the Centre, is also happy to be part of the art programme. He says, “The process of comic drawing engages my imagination and brings back memories of my children during their growing years. It also gives me great satisfaction to see my artwork being showcased and to share the stories behind these drawings.”
6 Dr Kenny Tan, Chief Executive Officer, St Luke’s ElderCare says, “We are glad to be part of a programme that re-imagines the community space, as part of community ownership, through interaction and ideas exchange among the community, corporates and schools.”
7 “Let’s Paint-A-VWO @ South West brings the therapeutic power of art to St Luke’s Eldercare Clementi Centre through the efforts of volunteers from Emergenetics. This meaningful programme not only strengthens our community ties and promotes volunteerism, it also uplifts the esteem and spirits of our elderly. The wall mural at the Centre will feature their designs and reflect the joint experience of the volunteers and the seniors creating and enjoying art together,” says Mayor Low Yen Ling.
8 As a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmCham), this will also be Emergenetics’ corporate social responsibility initiative as part of the International AmCham Community Day.
9 Mr Terence Quek, PBM, Chief Executive Officer of Emergenetics Asia Pacific, says, “We are happy to rally our clients, families, and friends, to join us in volunteering their time, energy and talent to brighten the lives and activity spaces of the elderly at St Luke’s Eldercare. We believe in giving back to the community and are pleased to do so through American Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Corporate Community Day’.”
10 Details of the event are as follows:
Event : Launch of Let’s Paint-A-VWO @ South West
Date : Saturday, 22 October 2016
Time : 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm (Media is invited at 1.45 pm)
Venue : St Luke’s ElderCare (Clementi Centre)
Blk 602, Clementi West St 1
#01-25, Singapore 120602
Special : Mr Kirk Wagar
Guest US Ambassador to Singapore
Host : Ms Low Yen Ling
Mayor of South West District
11 We would like to invite your reporter and photographer/TV crew to the Launch of Let’s Paint-A-VWO @ South West. Interviews can be arranged upon request. Please contact our media liaison officer for queries. We look forward to receiving you and your crew/photographer.
___________________________________________________________________
Media Liaison Officer
Ms Leong Pei Xin
Assistant Manager (Corporate Management & Communications)
South West Community Development Council
HP: 9231 4085
DID: 6551 9290
Email: Leong_Peixin@pa.gov.sg
Ms Quah Jia Yin
Assistant Manager (Projects Management & Development)
South West Community Development Council
DID: 6551 9937
Email: Jia_Yin_Quah_from.TP@pa.gov.sg
About the South West Community Development Council (CDC)
The South West Community Development Council (CDC) was formed on 24 November 2001, with the mission to Assist the Needy, Bond the People and Connect the Community.
Through local help programmes, the South West CDC provides assistance to help the less fortunate in our community. The South West CDC also organises projects and programmes to promote community bonding and social cohesion. The South West CDC adopts the "Many Helping Hands" approach to encourage community ownership among residents, community partners and corporations to realise its vision of "Owning Your Community”.
PROGRAMME
|
Time |
Programme
|
|
2.00 pm |
Arrival of St Luke’s ElderCare residentsParticipation in mural painting with Emergenetics volunteers |
|
3.00 pm |
Arrival of Host Mayor Low Yen Ling and Special Guest Mr Kirk Wagar, US Ambassador to Singapore |
|
3.05 pm |
Opening Address by Dr Kenny Tan, CEO of St Luke’s ElderCare |
|
3.10 pm |
Address by US Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Kirk Wagar |
|
3.15 pm |
Address by Mayor Low Yen Ling |
|
3.20 pm |
Viewing of Arts Display |
|
3.25 pm |
Painting of Finishing Touches on Wall Murals inside St Luke’s ElderCare |
|
3.30 pm |
Painting of Finishing Touches to Wall Murals at the Void Deck |
|
3.40 pm |
Tea Reception |
|
4.00 pm |
End of Programme |