Volunteers are assets

November 17, 2009 – The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) recently honoured two individuals – Ann Wee and Indranee Nadisen – with its highest accolades – the inaugural MCYS Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Awards. Eighty-three-year-old Wee and grandmother of four has served as an adviser to the Juvenile Court since 1970 and provided invaluable expert opinion when cases for delinquent youths are discussed before sentencing. Close to 40 years doing this work, she continues even at her age to read and prepare case notes on these youths each week before attending Court.

Nadisen, on the other hand, who is affectionately known as “Super Foster Mom” has cared for 43 foster children in her 32 years of service as a foster parent before retiring in July 2008 because of persistent shoulder and knee problems. Her adoptive mother had also been a foster mother, and she was influenced to volunteer when she saw her mother’s love for the children. The new award is said to recognise those age 65 and above who have contributed consistently for 30 years or more and before they retire from volunteerism. It is not an annual award.

Also that night, two other winners received the Outstanding Volunteer Award, including 58-year-old Henry Yeo who has been a tireless volunteer at the Singapore Boys’ Home since 2000 under the Befriender Scheme, and Thiravingadam Sembugavalie, 70, who over 35 years has fostered 40 children, excluding looking after eight children of her own. Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan paid tribute to these volunteers, saying, “Volunteers are invaluable assets to the work that MCYS does. They are our eyes and ears on the ground, and play an extremely crucial role to help the Ministry reach out to those who are genuinely in need, to those who might have otherwise fallen through the cracks.”  Seventy-four awards and 12 tokens of appreciation for National Day award winners were given at the ceremony at the National Museum of Singapore.

(PHOTO ABOVE: Standing from left to right are: Thiravingadam Sembugavalie, Indranee Nadisen, Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Ann Wee and Henry Yeo.)