Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore Branch) has been invited to Pasir Ris Community Club in many occasions to participate in events held by the Residents’ Committee. This year’s Mid Autumn Festival makes no exception, for our sign language team was invited to join in the community celebration. Volunteers also set up a booth to promote environmental protection, to more than a hundred participants at the event. Picture:Tzu Chi volunteer Seow Beng Lan explaining to Minister Teo Chee Hian the end product, a recycle blanket, made from 70 plastic containers.

Tzu Chi sign language team performed to the song “Great Love Brightens Up The World>” at the celebration.

At the booth, we saw eco-friendly meal utensils as well as blankets and clothing made from recycled plastic bottles.Posters containing information on Environmental Protection were also put up beside the booth.

Sister Seow Beng Lan, deputy group leader of the North West Zone receiving the Plaque of Appreciation from the Defence Minister Mr. Teo Chee Hean for Tzu Chi’s contribution in the Pasir Ris constituency.

Mr. Zeng Qing Fa said he would start to recycle after hearing the explanations by the volunteers. He hopes to learn more about the organisation in the near future.

Residents Committee member, Mdm Allyn Phang Huiling (right) hopes that with the initiative of Tzu Chi volunteers, recycling can be more effectively put into practice in our daily life. She hopes Environmental Protection Education can be included in all the upcoming events organized by the RC.

Sister Oh Siew Keng, a volunteer residing in the area, actively promoting environmental protection at the event. She vowed to inspire more residents to recycle to save the earth.

In October 2005, upon the relocation of Tzu Chi Singapore Branch to Pasir Ris, Tzu Chi volunteers have been actively involving themselves in community activities such as blood donation drives, health screenings and recycling etc., benefiting a large number of residents in the Pasir Ris community.

Pasir Ris Zone 19 Residents Committee first invited Tzu Chi Foundation to participate in its Lunar New Year Eve celebration in year 2006. The graceful Sign Language Song Performance that was put up by the foundation’s sign language team during the event was so well received leading to many subsequent invitations to perform in events organized by the Resident Committee.

This year, Tzu Chi volunteers were invited to the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. Other than the sign language performance, the Residents Committee also requested the Foundation to set up a booth to provide the residents with information on environmental protection.

Education: The very first step in environmental protection

In May this year, while celebrating its 42nd anniversary, Tzu Chi Singapore organized a Health Screening for the residents in Pasir Ris. At the health screening event, a booth was also set up to promote environmental protection. The positive response from the residents has prompted the Residents Committee to include environmental protection in the programme for the Mid Autumn Festival Celebration at the RC this time round.

The wonders of recycled PET bottles

On Sept 6, twelve Tzu Chi volunteers from the North East Zone arrived at the basketball court beside Block 782 in the early evening to set up the booth. They have brought with them display items such as eco-friendly meals utensils, news clippings, as well as blankets and clothing that were made from recyclables. Posters containing information on environmental protection were also put up beside the booth.

Before the start of the event, the volunteers took the opportunity to distribute pamphlets on recycling know how and explaining ways to conserve energy at home. When told that the blanket on display was made from 70 recyclable PET bottles, many residents, including Defence Minister, Mr Teo Chee Hean were totally amazed. Mr Teo had arrived to support the event and was invited to present plaques of appreciation to the National Environment Agency, Neighborhood Police Centre and Tzu Chi Foundation for their dedicated involvement in the Pasir Ris constituency.

“Is that really made from PET bottles?” “Son, come take a look at this blanket!” Madam Tong Xiao Juan said to her son.

Madam Tong came from Malaysia. She has been residing here for more than ten years. Noted the government’s initiative in environmental protection, she started recycling at home many years ago and taught her children on how to conserve energy and water resources. Her eldest son Zeng Weijie, now 18 years old, would bring home newspapers discarded by his classmates weekly to recycle, something, which Madam Tong was very pleased with.

Another resident Mr. Zeng Qing Fa was full of praises after visiting the booth, as he commented: “I was impressed by the excellent works done by Tzu Chi in the area of recycling. Especially the blankets and clothing made from recycled items, it is really an eye opener to me!”

Although he is aware of the importance of recycling, Mr. Zeng felt ashamed that he has not done his part so far. Nonetheless, his wife is already showing a good example in their family. He promised that he would start to recycle after today’s event. He has even left his contact and hope he could participate in Tzu Chi recycling activity in the near future.

Ms Allyn Phang Huiling, one of the Resident Committee members, found the event meaningful for it managed to bring across the message of recycling to the residents. “We hope the residents realized that they can do their part too when it comes to recycling. This will be a very good starting point and we hope to do it even better in future.” A hopeful Ms Phang said during the event.

Ms Phang also hopes that Environmental Protection promotion could be included in all future events organized by the Resident Committee and that Tzu Chi could offer their support on this area.

Sister Oh Siew Keng, a volunteer in the North West Zone, is full of hope that one day all residents in the neighborhood can come together to participate in recycling activity to save the earth.

Although there was a heavy downpour with strong wind during the event, the residents were still happily enjoying the celebration in the tent despite the sopping wet condition they were in. Some even jokingly remarked: “This wet Mid Autumn Festival is something hard to come by for everyone !”