Volunteerism champ says ‘kampong spirit’ must be kept alive in Singapore
No time for giving in time-starved Singapore?
Not so for Lim Soon Hock, 62, one of this year’s recipients of the inaugural President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards.
The long-time volunteer chairman of the Centre for Fathering (CFF) said, “We all live in a time impoverished world… If you sit back and reflect on it, we will always be able to find pockets of time that we can either share it with our loved ones or the underprivileged, the needy, the poor, the disadvantaged.”
“I was living in a kampong in the Towner Road area where Central Sikh Gurdwara now stands… Neighbours supported each other. There was magnanimity. We were all part of a larger family, though not related to one another, but bonded through a common simple and unostentatious life,” said Lim upon receiving his award.
“My inclination [to serve the community] has been shaped very much by my childhood experiences… The kampong spirit was very much alive then,” said Lim, who is also the chairman of the National Family Council.
One of nine winners to be conferred their presidential awards by President Tony Tan Keng Yam during a gala dinner on Wednesday evening, Lim pioneered the Eat With Your Family Day (EWYFD) movement, which has gone on to become a nationwide event. This year, about 400 schools and organisations involving over 160,000 people took part. Lim has been widely recognised for his work, previously receiving the MCYS Outstanding Volunteer Award in 2011 as well as the Public Service Medal in 2009.
Lim said he hopes to pass on the “kampong spirit’ of helping out the community to his three children — a daughter, aged 32, and two sons aged 30 and 24.
“My parents often shared food with our less fortunate neighbours,” said Lim of his childhood days living in his kampong. “Although I was young at the time, I was touched by their profound expression of gratitude and appreciation.”
Lim, who believes it is possible to balance volunteerism while having time for his family, asserted that giving can and must be more entrenched in Singapore.
His first volunteering experience — cleaning up Kampong Geylang Serai back in 1972 — left an indelible impression upon him once he got past the “the filth and stench of the clean-up exercise”. What he remembers most of that time are the “little things” he received from the kampong folks.
“I was touched; it was a feeling that money cannot buy,” Lim said.
In presenting the award to the winners, President Tan said, "I believe that through your dedication and commitment, you will be able to inspire more Singaporeans to give of their time, talent and treasure and in doing so, better the lives of those around them."
Speaking to an audience of 450 guests, among them former president S R Nathan and Acting Minister of Culture, Community and Youth (MCYS) Lawrence Wong, the president added, "I believe the spirit of giving is innate in each and every one of us. But it needs to be encouraged... If we nurture this charitable spirit, Singapore will be a place we are all proud to call home."
Tan also used the event to launch the “I Remember Doing Good” (IRDG) initiative which was started by the Singapore Memory Project to gather stories from past and present volunteers and philanthropists who have helped the underprivileged in Singapore.
Tan made special mention to the late founder of Fut Tong Nursing Home, Venerable Ho Yuen Hoe. Her story is one of the stories collected by IRDG. The nursing home has played crucial roles in reaching out to the elderly living alone in Singapore.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS (CATEGORIES)
Alex Hungate, Group General Manager and CEO of HSBC received the President’s Award for Volunteerism (Corporate)
Ng Ser Miang, Chairman of NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Ltd. received the President’s Award for Philanthropy (Corporate)
Sandra Berrick, President, Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) received the President’s Award for Volunteerism (Non-profit)
Professor Er Meng Hwa, Vice President of International Affairs of NTU, received the President’s Award for Philanthropy (Non-profit)
Foong Daw Ching, Chairman, St Luke’s Hospital received the President’s Award for Social Impact (New category)
Lim Soon Hock was awarded the President’s Award for Volunteerism (Individual)
Dominic Lim, Group Head, Strategic Management, SPLAT!, received the President’s Award for Volunteerism (Individual & Informal Group)
Chua Thian Poh was awarded the President’s Award for Philanthropy (Individual)
Jennie Chua was presented the President’s Special Recognition Award
