Dedicated Hearts

Whenever CDAC requires volunteers for its events, 51-year-old Madam Tricia Lim would send a callout in the family chat group and an all-female team would usually respond. The six members of the team include her 11-year-old niece, her 71-year-old mother, and members of her and her sister’s families.

Madam Tricia Lim’s ties with CDAC started when she was accompanying her daughter who had to do volunteer work to accumulate points for community involvement; she never thought it would be the start of a volunteer journey that is now in its tenth year.

Whether it is the CDAC Open House, its “Ready for School!” event, or Family Day, attendees will often spot Madam Lim and her family. They work well together: some members help at the reception while others take charge of the activity stands, and yet others might be looking after young children at the events.

Madam Lim’s daughter Angeline said, “After so many years, some of the children have gone from strangers to becoming our friends, it gives us a lot of satisfaction.”

Among the “ladies’ corps”, the oldest is grandmother Madam Fong Yan Sum. Angeline said they roped in grandma for an excursion with elderly folks because of her fluency in dialects which the younger generation lacked, to help ensure there would be no communication problems. Grandma enjoyed the experience so much that she continued volunteering and has now been helping for five years.