Tuesday, June 30, 2009

AYG -Opening of Games Village pt 2

Sr Minister of State Ms Grace Fu was the Guest of Honour at the ceremony.
Here she was delivering her speech. Quite a few of us key personnel of the Village were observing the proceedings from higher vantage points.
As usual, as an avid Blogger, I have my dependable Canon digital camera with me to capture these memorable moments.


The assembly who was listening to the GOH speaking.

At left was the table in blue cloth where Temperature stickers were issued to everyone after they have been cleared.
All these strict measures were implemented and manned by my Volunteers at various strategic access and control points within the Games Village...in response to the H1N1 cases that occured.
There were no new cases after we implemented counter-measures.



The Games Village was officially declared open when the GOH struck the gong.

Photo:
Swissotel Gen manager, DEP ms Sum,
ms Grace Fu, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Sr Parl Sec and Village mayor.


These are some of the people highly responsible for the operations of the Games Village.


AYG -Opening of Games Village

The Games Village at the Swissotel was officially declared open by Senior Minister of State Ms Grace Fu.

Photo:
Her arrival at the Atruim, Level 3 being escorted by Ms Sum Chee Wah who is the co-Chairperson of the Org Com. The other is Mr Oon Jin Teik CEO from SSC.
Deborah Tan, Principal of Sg Sports School was also there. She was my former colleague from HCJC.


The Singapore contingent and VIPs at the ceremony.




Mayor of the Games Village Mrs Lim T Loke delivering her opening welcome address.





The gong for signalling the opening is on the right of the stage.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Another Great 40 Year Juxtaposition. TAHAN!

April 1969...just before our final ascent of Gunung Tahan. This picture was taken by our Tahan mountain guide Ahmad who has sadly passed on. That were all 10 of us 40 long years ago near the top of Malaya's highest mountain.
Photo: From L to R.

Tng K Guan, Tham Han Chew, Francis Lee, Twang P Ee, Louis Hwang,( behind Twang ), Tan Yam Tee ( next to Twang), Jasudasen, Dick Yip ( with State Scout scarf ),
Kneeling: Balbir Singh, Tan Yeow Huat.

Today,
[ 20 June 2009 Re-union, 40 years later ]...this is what TAHAN has turned us into...sprightly and stronger looking man mountain or is it mountain men, grinning and laughing as we did that unforgettable day, a day that even with the passing of time, has not diminished one bit in our hearts and in our minds and in our combined spirit.
Photo: L to R
Dick Yip, Twang Peck Ee, Tng Kim Guan, Louis Hwang, Balbir Singh and Francis Lee.

WHAT a Great Reunion....40 years!


Even though I am absolutely zonked out with my Asian Youth Games work, I had made a promise to quickly put these memorable photos here so that everyone can access them.
What's so memorable and fantastic about this reunion?
Well...please visit my G TAHAN blogposts of February last year and you'll know why.
The date was Sat June 20, two days ago. We had managed to contact Twang Peck Ee, the leader of the 1st Singapore G Tahan Expedition and he had so graciously agreed to have

a reunion at his cosy home in the Sembawang Hills area, with us.
I rushed there after performing in public with my Ukulele at the launching of the Active Ageing Carnival 2009, on the same day, at Suntec City.
Photo:
Mohkeed and Julia, 2 of the outstanding 69niners with their original PE teacher Syon.


Mohkeed and Julia...presenting the special 40th Commemorative NJC book to Balbir, their original PE teacher.

Six of the incredible and never to be forgotten 1st Singapore Tahaners in a picture scoop!
Photo:
Dick Yip, Twang Peck Ee, Tng Kim Guan, Louis Hwang, Balbir Singh and
Francis Lee.


Why the thumbs up and victory sign?
It means we DID it 40 years ago and well ...we just might be crazy to do it again!
But we will look for Tahan kechil on the map and not THAT Tahan. That one time so long ago was a one off-pioneering adventure that set the trail for others to follow....in our footsteps.



Saturday, June 20, 2009

Unk Dicko Public Ukulele Performance at Suntec today

ACTIVE AGEING CARNIVAL 2009
Suntec City

The carnival for this year starts today ! A number of of last years' 7 Active Ageing Award Winners will be involved in the Launch off...including unk Dicko who has been invited
to do a Ukulele Performance at the Tropics Atrium, Level 1 Suntec City.
Performance time has been changed to
2.15 - 2.45 pm. ( Half an hour ).

What will I be performing?
Some traditional Hawaiian songs.
Some local songs.
Some old forgotten campfire songs.
And favourites to please the crowd.

So do get down there if you can.
And if you love Ukulele ....don't miss it.
The last time I performed there was in January this year.
The crowd response was fantastic!

Stage Programme at Tropics Atrium (Day 1)
Date: 20 June 2009, Saturday
Time: 11.30am – 8.00pm


Suntec City (Tropics Atrium)
11.30am
Fabulous Workout by Health Promotion Board
11.40am
Emcee Opening speech
11.45am
Demonstration of Hunyuan Taijiquan by Xin Ying Wu Shu
12.00pm
Active Lifestyle as Self-Care by Mr. Jeremy Koh
12.30pm
Common Eye Problems in the Elderly by The Eye and Aesthetic Clinic
1.00pm
Hydroponics Gardening by Hydroponics & Plant Care
1.30pm
Golden Age: What is the special care needed to keep teeth and gums healthy after fifty-five by Dr. Yasmin Akrum
2.00pm

Showcase of Selected AA Glamour Search Participants
2.05pm

Active Agers Fashion Show by Mrs Singapore
2.15pm

Ukulele Performance by Mr. Dick Yip and Friends
2.35pm

Image Consultancy for Seniors by Ms. Shelley Siu
3.05pm

Active Agers Glamour Search Competition and Prize Giving
3.15pm

Shark Fin / Animal Protection Issues by ACRES
3.30pm

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the Management of Diabetes and its Complications by Tsao Foundation
4.30pm

English and Chinese Oldies Sing-Along by Caregiver and Friends
5.15pm

Guitar and Choir Performance by Mr Chua and Friends
5.35pm

Protection and Retirement Planning for Great Health and Wealth by Centre for Seniors
6.00pm

Ukulele Performance by Centre for Seniors
6.35pm

Fit-Band Demonstration by Vitage Fitness
6.50pm

Hair Show by Professional Hair Studio
7.15pm

Public Libraries: Your Partner in Learning by Public Libraries Singapore
7.45pm

Chair Workout by NTUC Club
8.00pm

Carnival Close

Friday, June 12, 2009

Singapore hosts Inaugural 1st ASIAN YOUTH GAMES

Regular visitors to my blogs would not have failed to notice that I had not been updating my blogsites for sometime, something which is very unusual... knowing unk Dicko.
Well, I thought I had better explain otherwise some may conclude that the
Wise Old Owl had flown away and may never come back! Haha. Nothing of that sort has happened. I am still
very much grounded in Singapore.
What really has happened is this.
Sometime in April ,about 2 months ago, I received a call from the MOE who is the Co-organiser together with the SSC for the Games. They needed my help and assistance to assume a key role...that of recruiting, managing and training hundreds of student and teacher volunteers for the games Village which is based at Swissotel. They specifically needed someone who has long years of experience and who has held key positions in the organisational aspects as well as the day to day running of big championships, events, games etc.
Somehow my name cropped up among the key higher ups.


The work would be fulltime and I needed to start almost immediately. Accepting it meant that I had to cancel my already paid tour to Hokkaido, Japan with D2...incurring a potential loss.
Nevertheless, for the sake of our country since Singapore is playing host and unk Dicko definitely has more than the necessary experience, knowhow, ideas, ability to work with large group of people and especially energise and motivate them to give off their best efforts...I humbly accepted the invitation to serve. Since the 20th of April 2009, I have been undertaking my assigned tasks fully.
I have attended more meetings, briefings, presentations and table top exercise over the last month and half...than in the previous 6 years in total! It has proven to be one huge, BIG Challenge. Have I managed it well so far? We shall see.

Here are some photos of the Briefing and Training half day session which was held on Mon June 8 09 at the Stamford Ballroom, swissotel. It was attended by more than 400 student and teacher volunteers for the Games Village.
The top picture showed the Village Mayor Mrs Lim Thian Loke, giving her welcome speech. Then it was my turn to brief the assembled body...and conduct the generic training.
The volunteers come from different schools and organisations, as well as HQ staff. We had the various sub-com heads conduct the job-specific training
on site.
The Games will kick off with the Soccer preliminaries on June 20. About 43 countries are participating with more than 1500 athletes and a few hundred officials. More than 300 media reporters and photographers from all over the world will be covering the event "LIVE".

I have never been more busy lately. Now you can understand why I have not been able to update my blogs recently.
But not to worry, there will be much to share later.
This role requires a lot of planning, thinking and good networking and the most important H R skills...plus the ability to see ahead ( at least 2 steps).
Much integration and cross-cooperation is also needed by one and all in such a huge mega event.
I am doing my part so hope visitors to my blogs will understand.

Monday, June 1, 2009

40 years of NJC and Tahan...part 2

This card was placed on every table. At the end of the dinner I kept it as a momento to remind myself and perhaps others who were there about the date.
Add 10 years to 2009 and the year will be most significant....2019. That will be the 50th Anniversary of NJC and also of our 1st Tahan climb as well.




The Guest of Honour for the evening was Dr Ng Eng Hen, himself an old boy of NJC of the mid-70's.

PM Lee Hsien Loong was unable to make it as he had another official engagement.

Photo:
Just before the cutting of the special
Birthday cake. Present Principal Mrs Virginia Cheng thanking G -O-H Dr Ng. Seated was Mr Lim Kim Woon and next to him applauding is PM's wife, Mdm Ho Ching.





Francis Lee and me at his table.



Photo:
The sixty -niners posed for a group
photo.




Another group photo