Bringing good fortune to the home of elderly beneficiaries is Rotaract Club of NTU’s “Huat Ah Huat” – the club’s Chinese New Year event that brings members and other volunteers closer to the community and foster the spirit of volunteerism. Unlike most community service endeavours that are held at the residents’ homes, Huat Ah Huat brought 44 students and 101 residents from six NTUC Health Senior Day Care centres to Nanyang Auditorium on 31 Jan, where a slew of activities and performances were planned for the Ren Ri (the seventh day of the Lunar New Year) celebration.
The committee meticulously planned for a fun-filled day, kick-starting the programme with a visit to NTU’s traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic. Clinic staff gave the participants an introduction of various Chinese herbs and the health benefits, which many participants have no prior knowledge of and created interaction opportunity between the residents and the volunteers.
After the visit, the participants joined in an exhilarating Zumba session, which turned into a mini performance segment as enthusiastic volunteers went up on stage to entertain the elderly.
At lunch, the residents were serenaded with Chinese New Year songs and classics by two volunteer singers, Starrie and Zong Hua, who later joined in a mini karaoke session with the volunteers. An appearance by a volunteer dressed up as Cai Shen Ye (God of Fortune), a staple of Chinese New Year celebrations, rounded out the event.
The seniors participated actively throughout the day, with many expressing that they seldom had the chance to celebrate Chinese New Year with their friends from the same centre. Many volunteers reflected that they learnt how to better interact with the elderly beneficiaries through “Huat Ah Huat”, even picking up useful phrases from the seniors that they hope to use in future volunteer projects.
As a whole, the committee believed that the inaugural project lived up to its name and brought prosperity and festive cheer to all participants through meaningful interaction and activities.
I felt that this was a meaningful event that provided the seniors with a pleasant and homely feeling, as they celebrate Chinese New Year on Ren Ri in a special way!Eng Deen Shen, Honorary General Secretary
About NTU Rotaract Club
The Rotaract Club of NTU is part of a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the rest of the world, beginning at the community level. It aims to serve and improve the welfare and skills of its members. The Club is supported by seven divisions – comprising the Club Service, Community Service, International Service, Youth Development, Professional Development, Business and Finance, and Publicity and Publication.
