Appreciation Through Service! 2018

How would you show your appreciation to someone else? Some treat others to sumptuous meals or write thank-you notes, but few will think of volunteering as a form of gratitude.

‘Appreciation Through Service’ was the theme of this year’s Heartware Network volunteer appreciation event – an unprecedented spin to the annual tributes. Held at ITE College Central’s Tay Eng Soon Convention Centre on 8 December 2018, the carnival brought together sponsors, partnering organisations, volunteers and beneficiaries in support of President’s Challenge.

300 beneficiaries from various President’s Challenge 2018 benefitting organisations and Heartware’s social service partners like HCSA, AMK FSC, Sree Narayana, SPD, joined the celebrations. They were paired with some 200 Heartware volunteers for a half-day of fun and games at more than 20 game booths put together by our youth volunteers, social service partners and sponsors.

The scale of the event was befitting the year’s work in establishing close partnerships with various communities invested in making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.

Catch all our carnival photos on our Heartware Facebook Page.

Heartware Network was privileged to have President Mdm Halimah Yacob as guest of honour. In a heartfelt speech, she shared her conviction for volunteering.  For a group that is especially energetic, capable, and creative, she urged our youth volunteers to continue contributing to the common good. Volunteers, indeed, are the lifeblood of our social service organisations.

The Heartware Academy set up this year is therefore an important establishment to nurture youth champions for our community. The Academy fronts training and development opportunities to equip youths with the skill sets to identify community issues and rally their peers to address them. It is also where our volunteer leaders and facilitators are bred, and they were the ones too who managed the volunteer pool for the Appreciation Through Service event!

Mdm Halimah Yacob presented the 10-year service award to Heartware volunteer Tan Mui Teng.

The event also gave recognition to Acclaim Insurance Brokers Pte. Ltd. as a sponsor for the Acclaim Endowment Study Fund. Acclaim has generously donated a million dollars to Heartware Network to set up the Fund that aims to uplift students from less advantaged families. It offers its recipients full coverage of tuition fees, a laptop allowance, and monthly allowance.

Managed by Heartware Network, the study endowment also aims to recognize and help youths who have demonstrated a commitment to volunteerism and service, and who have displayed outstanding leadership qualities.

Managing Director of Acclaim, Mr Tony Lim, shared that he was humbled by Heartware volunteers, who have been contributing so much time and effort in serving the community despite not having much themselves. Acclaim, being an insurance company, is “insuring” the future of our nation by helping to nurture the youngsters and foster a culture of service, of kindness and of caring.

The Acclaim Endowment Study Fund therefore reflects both Acclaim and Heartware’s belief that effective and consistent volunteerism constitute an equally valid and prestigious form of merit.

From L to R: Dr Ting Seng Kiong, Mr Bill Foo, Ms Tan See Leng, Mr Anthony Lim, Mdm Halimah Yacob, Mr Muhammad Syafiq (recipient of the Fund), Ms Nurliyana Muhd Hisham (recipient of the Fund), Ms Nurliyana’s mother and sister, and Mr Raymond Huang.

Perhaps the most important people in the room were our volunteers and beneficiaries who were ever grateful for one another. Looking back at the year’s accomplishments, volunteers like Si En affirmed how much volunteering under Heartware had gifted him “exposure that school couldn’t have given him”. Others found change in themselves, as they became more empathetic and better human beings.

It was just as Mdm President said, “When we volunteer, we develop ourselves.”

Some beneficiaries also shared a few words of praise to the volunteers. A senior from Heartware Support Our Pioneers commended on her volunteer’s “kind, humble and compassionate” nature. A child from Sheng Hong Student Care Centre who was under the Heartware Tuition Programme adored the volunteer assigned to him, calling him “very helpful”.

Heartware Network builds on the belief that “if it is not from the heart, it is not worth doing.” Indeed, our volunteers, beneficiaries, partners, and sponsors made time to celebrate our achievements because they were sincere and worth fighting for.

Thank you everyone, and for making Heartware’s work ever meaningful.

Want to volunteer? Follow our recruitment news on our volunteer portal Youthbank! .