Retiree
My wife and I have been regular volunteers at the Singapore Cheshire Home (SCH) for about 40 years. Upon the suggestion of a friend, we first visited SCH which was then located at Changi Creek. Little did we know that this was the seed of our journey as volunteers.
To me volunteering means being a companion who is willing to share. It may be feeding; other times just a greeting; sometimes lending a helping hand. Perhaps a good synonym is being a “good companion”.
It’s hard to say what activities are the most memorable. Volunteering at SCH has become part of our lives. Some fond memories include the times we celebrated our children’s birthdays at the Home when they were growing up and when we invited residents over for home cooked lunches. When our trees bore fruits, we always shared them with the residents. We loved the outings, too such as to Chinatown for Lunar New Year shopping. The list goes on. Of course, the best memories were the smiles and the friendships that we made along the way.
Over the years we have met many wonderful people at the Home – residents, nursing and care staff, management and supporting staff. We thank them all for adding something amazing to our lives and for giving us the chance to grow and share with the Home.
It is important to remember that with volunteering, a smile brings a smile!
