As society becomes increasingly disparate, Singapore Pools sees
the need to find ways to create greater value for the community. Since 2003, the
Company has been giving back to the community by committing staff time to
children and elderly homes under its iShine staff community programme.
One such active staff volunteer is Edwin Quek, Manager of Channels
Support. Since joining Singapore Pools in May 2013, the 43-year-old has since
turned volunteering into a family bonding activity. His wife and daughters regularly
accompany him on his weekends' voluntary involvements.
In his opinion, getting his wife and daughters involved in his
volunteering efforts is an excellent way for family bonding. At the same time,
his daughters can learn about helping the less fortunate in the community at a
young age.
Close to his 6 years of active volunteerism with Singapore Pools
as of 2015, Edwin considers his involvement with the National
Day celebration to commemorate Singapore’s golden jubilee, for residents from the
Society For the Aged Sick, as one of the most memorable activity. The
event is the first time he and his family visited a home where the elderly
residents are either bed ridden or wheelchair-bound.
As Edwin recalled the first time his daughters took part in an iShine
event, though the girls were initially shocked to see bedridden residents they
eased into their roles easily as they distributed goody bags to residents and even wheeled wheelchair-bound residents to the performance
area so that they could also enjoy the performances and the sumptuous buffet hi-tea”.
"Since
the experience four years ago, it has
inspired many hours of conversations with my girls about the value of
volunteerism. On a personal level, it is satisfying to see my efforts bring
some joy, comfort and companionship to the beneficiaries whom we interact at every
iShine event. ”, said Edwin.