Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong

A bowl of rice and a bread roll may not seem like much to most people, but for people in need and elderly people living alone, rice and bread not only satisfy their physical needs but also give them a sense of warmth. A group of volunteers from our Chai Wan Elderly Neighbourhood Centre called the “Super GoldenAge Volunteer Team” has been feeding the needy in their neighbourhood since 2016. This year, their selfless contributions to society not only won applause from the public; their efforts also won them the Group Spirit Award at the Hong Kong Spirit Awards 2019!

The Super GoldenAge Volunteer Team is made up of members from our Chai Wan Neighbourhood Elderly Centre. Even though the youngest member of the team is over 70 years old, their age does not stop them from serving others with passion and culinary skill. While some members of the team are responsible for food preparation, others collect surplus bread from a nearby bakery for needy seniors in the neighbourhood.

One 73-year-old team member, Ting-Chung, talked about her volunteer experiences. “Most of us are retired and some of us are housewives who received no formal education when we were young. That said, we want to let everyone know that aging does not mean you become useless or a burden on society. We must constantly strive for self-improvement, and that’s why we enjoy serving seniors with our home cooking and bread – we want to give those seniors a sense of warmth. I remember an elderly diner once thanked us for our cooking and said it tasted just like her dearly departed mother’s cooking. That was a very heart-warming moment for me.”

Celestine Chow Ching Yi, the YMCA Programme Secretary who set up the team, said that the volunteer recruitment process was comparatively smooth and easy, since most of the volunteers were quite eager to participate in the programme. “They have had a strong sense of collaboration from the start. For instance, if one team member is unable to perform a particular task, another team member will immediately take on her duties. If one cooking team needs help, say, preparing cooking materials the night before a delivery, the other cooking team is always willing to help them out.”

Though most of the volunteers are women, there are also a few men. Celestine continues, “A bakery in Heng Fa Chuen was willing to donate some surplus bread, and one night there were over 70 bread rolls. This was a tough job for our volunteers to collect them in such hot weather. I was touched to hear that one of our male volunteers found the task quite meaningful. He told his wife that he was about to bring happiness to 70 needy seniors as he had collected 70 bread rolls.”

Although the Centre stopped running the elderly canteen at the beginning of this year, this doesn’t mean that the volunteer team is now unemployed – far from it! Celestine related how the team is now making soup for needy seniors instead of cooking meals, and working with volunteers from other elderly centres to serve even more seniors living alone and elderly couples and their families.

Celestine concluded by saying that the Chai Wan Neighbourhood Elderly Centre will continue to improve its services. The Centre also recently added a shower room to provide more seniors in need with access to essential bathing amenities.

We are incredibly proud of the Super GoldenAge Volunteer Team and congratulate them on receiving their Hong Kong Spirit Award 2019. The awards are jointly organized by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group.

Please click here to view the Super GoldenAge
Volunteer Team’s introductory video.

The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) held their annual Youth Assembly and General Assembly between 2 and 6 September at Tozanso, Gotemba in Japan. This year’s theme was “Living Together Within Nature on a Path to Peace”, and over 370 representatives from across Asia Pacific attended, including seven from Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong – Mr Karl Lau, General Secretary of the Association; Mr Yau Chung Wan, President of the Association; Mr Yam Tak Fai and Mr Poon Chin Chung, Directors of the Association, and others. The week-long conference saw numerous sharing and discussion sessions as well as the election of new board members. We are pleased to announce a great result: Mr Poon Chin Chung was elected as the Vice President of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. Congratulations!

Would you like to try out the latest eSports games or watch a fat-burning high-intensity impact training workout demonstration? Or how about take part in a unique and engaging parent-child workshop? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you simply cannot miss the Mapperthon Closing Ceremony and Sports Carnival which will be held at Science Park in Shatin on 5 October. The event will feature inflatable sports challenges, several games booths and sports and best of all – free admission for the public. Mark your calendar, gather your friends and family and come and join us!

Date: 5 October 2019 (Saturday)
Time: 12 noon to 6 pm
Venue: 12W, 1st floor, Sha Tin Science Park Phase III Building, Grand Exhibition Hall and Grand Plaza
Transportation arrangements: A free shuttle bus service will be available from the MTR’s University Station to Science Park between 11am and 5 pm.
Enquiry: please call 2341 5033