TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY BEYOND DEFENCE

Even as the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is kept busy in the defence of our country and ensuring the safety of our sunny shores, one will be heartened to know that the SAF makes it a point to give back to the society it protects.

Starting off the year's charity calendar with a bang, the Gombak Charity Carnival (GCC) was held at the Gombak Recreation Centre on 12 Mar.

Only the second GCC to be held since the inaugural fundraiser in 2008, the organisers doubled their efforts with more than 70 booths for this follow-up event. They raised about $42,000 (before deducting expenditures) - about twice the amount raised in 2008.The charity event has also increased the number of beneficiaries to include the President's Challenge, together with the SAF Benevolent Fund.

"We do our part to be socially responsible citizens and we can contribute not only in defence... but in our spare time to contribute to charity work through the ways in which we know best. It's a very fulfilling experience for me," said Captain (CPT) Phua Chao Rong, Charles, Secretariat/Head of Planning for this year's GCC, who was also a member of the Secretariat for the previous carnival.

"A lot of people do care, it's just the opportunity and time. Being charitable, doing something for the community reminds you of the very community you are tasked to defend."

This is especially poignant in light of the GCC being an initiative from the ground. Other than the four main stakeholders, Joint Services Officers' Mess (JSOM), Gombak Warrant Officers' Mess (GWOM), Gombak Specialists' Mess (GSM) and Gombak Base, various Service representatives were also involved in the organisation of the event.

Targeted as a family event, this year's GCC saw an increase not only in the size of the crowd, but also a swell in the participation of children and the elderly.

"I'm with my parents and my baby nephew, looking for some family time!" said CPT Sharen Png from the Joint Communications and Information Systems Department.

Visitors of all ages were well entertained with the wide variety of products and services offered by the booth operators, aptly realising the theme of the carnival, "Let's Shop, Play, Eat for Charity".

Popular among the little ones were booths such as the Bouncy Castle, and a balloon sculpting stall.

When Lieutenant (NS) Koh Lock Chun was approached to set up the bouncy castle, he volunteered the sponsorship of his company's services instead. Similarly, balloon sculpting hobbyist Law Ngee Kee from the Military Security Department (MSD), who has been practising this art for the past 10 years, even trained his colleagues to assist him for the GCC.

For some, the attraction lay in the opportunity to meet old friends and bond with new ones as a trip to the GCC was set aside as a cohesion event for some units.

With other exciting events such as the dunking of several SAF officers and performances by the Military Police (MP) Silent Precision Drill Squad (SPDS) accompanied by the SAF band, the GCC this year certainly lived up to expectations.

As the GCC looks set to become a permanent fixture as a signature event on the SAF's charity calendar, many whom cyberpioneer spoke to were already looking forward to the next GCC.