MAKE-A-WISH CHRISTMAS PARTY

my sunday was spend at suntec city, helping Make-a-Wish foundation with their annual christmas party. it was through sheer randomness that i found them. i was at a clinic, reading some health magazine. in it, they featured a particular dr keith goh, who happens to be the chairman of Make-a-Wish foundation. in the short interview, he spoke of the organisation and what they did. i was hooked, found more info on the internet and the rest is history. i roped fred in to help too.



there were 10-20 booths. each had their own speciality to wow the children.


christmas presents to be given out to each kid.


later part of the program had santa sitting on that seat, taking photos with kids and the volunteers. fred and i took a group photo with the big red machine too.



one of the many booths available. initially, we wanted to go in. then we saw the sign.



utter devastation. hahahaha.



it was extremely generous of suntec to sponsor both the venue as well as the food.



food galore. there were plenty more at the other table.


children having fun at 1 of the booths. game plan was simple. end of the day, each kid bound to get a prize.


this event was an eye-opening experience. there are numerous kids with chronic diseases (leukaemia, HIV positive, etc), and this was my first time being involved with an organisation that aimed to help, or shall i say, make their wishes come true. it was something refreshingly new, different from the usual activities i do at a pet shelter (talk to dogs and cats, play with them, try not to get bitten or scratched). the event was from 2-5pm.


after the event, fred left to visit his friend. myself? i went window-shopping at suntec city. ok, i knew where i wanted to go, and like a homing missile, i ended up at harris bookshop. some people may have a soft spot towards shoes, others towards hi-tech gadgets, handphones, food or girls with braces (hahaha. sorry friend!). recently, i realised that i have a soft spot towards books. good books in particular. wherever i go, i will scout for bookshops. MPH, TIMES, BORDERS, KINOKUNIYA. haha. am i epitomising a complete nerd? after 2 hours or so, i left the bookshop, albeit $60 poorer. these are the books i bought.


the audacity of hope by Barack Obama. yet to read it, but to be on the new york times bestseller list for 30 weeks? you can't be too far wrong with this book.


the final lecture by Randy Pausch. it was a random act, i just picked the book up from any nearby shelf. 5 mins later, that book became a revelation to me. from the moment i read the introduction, i felt compelled to finish it. by the time i left, i had already finished a quarter of the book. haha. but no, hell no was i gonna let this inspiring book slip out of my hand. period.