Wednesday, May 30, 2012 @ 10:20 PM
Sec3s visit to Lion's home
Reflections by Guides
Celine Ong, Sec3, Flowerpecker Patrol
On Wednesday 23rd May, we sec 3s took our very first profiency badge this year – the Health Supreme badge! It is the 3rd and final badge of the health badge. Beforehand, we had already visited the HealhZone, and we were given instructions to buy $200 worth of ‘healthier choice’ foodstuffs and gift them to an organization.
We had chosen the Lion’s Home for the elders and we went to the NTUC at East point to buy the products. It was fun – no doubt, minus all the hectic bustling in the NTUC where we pushed numerous trolleys everywhere and getting well, a little too noisy. Finding the right products were easy, but how about finding those with a ‘healthier choice’ sticker pasted on them? Nope, not that easy as you think! In the end, our trolleys were literally filled to the brim with various items such as juices, Milo, butter etc.
After paying for the items, transporting those millions of bags of items, was well… difficult. But, we did manage, with much struggle at first. We took a 15-min bus ride to the Lion’s Home and we were greeted with friendly staff. We were instructed to go to the office where we handed all the items we brought to the staff and Liqin signed the receipt. After that, we left the Lion’s Home.
Overall, we did not really spend much time in the Lion’s Home but it was surely an unforgettable memory with my batchmates! J In addition, it was a really fulfilling experience as we were able to help the old folks there. Given another chance, I would do that again. J
Ng Li Qin, Sec3, Sparrow Patrol
At first I
really didn’t want to go. After all, I did
forget to bring the money which I promised to bring and to print out the list of food stuff that Lion’s Home want. I wound up going back to my house
to get the money and used Jing Xuan’s phone to write down the list. We rushed
to the Simei NTUC to get everything as we had to find quite a number of things
and take a bus to Lion’s Home. We got the trolleys, which we desperately
needed, and split up to search for the items. It was actually pretty difficult
since things that they need like sugar and condensed milk did not come with the
healthier choice symbol. In the end, some of us just bought those items without
the symbol and paid for it ourselves. It is for charity after all.
We spend
around an hour or so in NTUC trying to find everything and pay for it. It came
up to a grand sum of around $200! After that, we got out of Eastpoint and went
to the bus stop. I brought along a transport guide as none of us knew how to
get there. In the end, I led the Guides to the wrong bus stop and realised it
only after reading the board at the bus stop so we had to cross the road yet
again. We were lucky though. 38 came while we were crossing the road so we
managed to catch the bus and reach Lion’s Home at around 4pm which was the time
we agreed on.
Honestly, I
was just glad that we didn’t get lost given that I have a tendency to get lost,
with or without a map. In Lion’s Home, everything was quiet. The seniors there
were watching television but they all stared at us when we entered. I suppose
they don’t see visitors very often. It’s quite sad knowing that.
The visit
was brief, with us entering only to give them the products we bought earlier. I
guess it just didn’t really feel like we’re giving anything to them although
the food would probably allow the home to use the money on other stuff like
entertainment, medicine, care and the likes. Hopefully for all of us, this trip
is not merely a thing on their to-do list but an act that will affect something
for the better, short term or otherwise.
