vcares issue 1 - the volunteer shifu

www.carecorner.org.sg vCares Newsletter Issue 1

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The Volunteer “Shifu”

For close to 15 years now, Mr. Michael Lim has been a friend, teacher and “father” to many at Care Corner Student Care Centre (Woodlands). Over the years, he has taught lion dance, helped with photography and videography at centre events and has also helped make craft lessons possible, by helping to buy the materials needed. “He is well liked by both students and staff,” said Ms Olivia Ho, “he

is just like family to the staff and a father figure to the children.” Ms Ho, who is senior supervisor of the centre, also shared that Michael is a loyal and responsible volunteer and that they can always count on him. For example, Michael would help the centre to buy materials for their arts and crafts lessons and would go the extra mile to help them source materials which are of good quality and yet cheaper. On occasions when he cannot help with photography or videography, he would even ask his friends for help, so the centre does not have to worry about finding someone else. With all that has been shared about Michael, I was curious and had wanted to meet him to get to know him better. I had made arrangement to meet Michael and even though it had been a long working day for Michael, he obliged to meet me. Michael was connected to the centre by a friend in 2000 when the centre was looking to have the children put up a performance for a centre event. Michael had gladly agreed to teach the children lion dance because of his interest in the art too. He shared how he had started developing a liking for lion dance since his childhood; he would always jump at any chance to watch a lion dance performance. He shared how he was intrigued by the dance moves and had wanted to find out how it was done. Indeed, Michael indicated that he likes challenges and even recounted an incident when he took on the challenge to do embroidery, when an arts and crafts shop staff felt that he would not be able to achieve it. The chance to perform in lion dance came when he was in secondary school, when he joined the lion dance troupe. Michael continues to teach lion dance to children and youth till this day in a community club. “I do not teach lion dance in the conventional way; I will first get the children to start dancing and then will rectify the moves along the way,” explained Michael.


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When asked about his experience volunteering in Care Corner to teach the children lion dance, Michael indicated how he has found lion dance to be a good platform to teach values to the children. For example, through lion dance, he had taught the children to be united and cooperate with one another and for the seniors to always care for the juniors. “I treat all students as my children and teach them like I would my own children,” added Michael. He noted an attitude change in the children after participating in lion dance and shared that many of their parents were so amazed and proud to see their children when they finally performed. “I am always happy to see people happy,” remarked Michael. Michael also shared how he was touched and cherished how the children and teachers came together to celebrate his birthday years ago; they even made handicrafts for him using recycled magazines. He still keeps these to this day. “Year later, some students, though they have grown up, still return to ask for Michael,” shared Olivia, who attested to the bond the children have with Michael. He is indeed “Volunteer Shifu”. In parting, I asked Michael to share some advice with other fellow volunteers and those who are contemplating volunteering, to which he replied, “Give your best and put your heart into what you do as a volunteer.” Keen to volunteer and make a difference? Volunteer opportunities abound in our work with families, children youth, seniors. Visit http://www.carecorner.org.sg/volunteer.html today. Article by: James Lim Kindly translated by our Translation Volunteer, Tan Kheng Meng:

Gifts from the children.

http://www.carecorner.org.sg/volunteer.html


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“ I have always been encouraged reading Care Corner’s Volunteer

Cares Newsletter; it contains many wonderful and meaningful

stories of how volunteers make a difference. These stories,

written by editorial volunteers themselves, have always

encouraged me and it is also with this that I have taken my first

steps to being a volunteer.

I have recently retired from an editorial role. Due to health

reasons, I am unable to render services in the direct service, such as befriending the seniors

or volunteering with youths in making a difference for the community.

However, just as some volunteers had aptly remarked, serving the community can indeed

take many forms and this encouraged me to take to step to be a translation volunteer with

Care Corner. I hope to be able to use my editorial experience and skills to help extend the

reach of the exciting stories of the work of Care Corner’s volunteers. By translating them into

Chinese, I hope more will come to know the work and mission of Care Corner; I hope to

extend the reach of these powerful stories to small and medium enterprises, Chinese

businesses, clans, shops and communities. It is hoped that my little effort will be a spark in

helping others consider making a difference too, by serving as a volunteer; serving the needy

alongside the charities.

I hope that these articles will help our readers be better acquainted with the volunteers’

labour of love for the community.

”


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志愿师父

过去 15 年来，关怀学生托管中心（兀兰）里许多

人都把林德隆（Michael）当成是朋友、导师和“父辈”。这

些年来，他指导舞狮团，为中心的活动拍照和录像，也协

助采购所需的材料，协助手工艺班顺利开办。

中心的高级主管 Olivia Ho 分享说：“他深受学生和

职员的爱戴。职员把他当是家庭的一员，而对孩子们，他

就像他们的父辈。”

她形容 Michael 是位忠诚和有责任心的义工，有他办事，他们放心。他会

协助中心的艺术和美工班采办所需的材料，甚至尽最大努力协助他们寻找物美

价廉的材料。有时，他分身乏术无法为中心的活动拍照和录像，他也会主动找

朋友帮忙，不让中心为得另外找人而烦恼。

对 Michael 的赞美如潮，有口皆碑，让我有百闻不如一见的想法，希望能

对他有更深入了解。尽管 Michael 工作了一整天，他还是很乐意和我见面。

Michael 是在 2000 年经朋友穿针引线而跟中心结缘。当时，中心正要为

在中心活动上呈献表演的孩子物色导师。Michael 很乐意地接下教导孩子舞狮的

任务，因为他也爱好艺术。

他分享了他怎样在孩童时就培养起爱好舞狮的兴趣。他抓紧每一个观赏

舞狮表演的机会。他为优美的醒狮舞步深深迷住，并想知道如何能做到。

其实，Michael 说他很喜欢接受挑战，还告诉我他有一次挑战刺绣。尽管

手工店店员对他不看好，他还是做到了。

Michael 是在念中学时加入醒狮团而取得舞狮表演机会。直到今天，他还

在民众俱乐部教导青少年舞狮。他说：“我不用正统的方式教导舞狮。我让孩子

们一开始就一面舞一面纠正舞步。”


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询及在关怀机构义务教导孩童舞狮的心得，Michael 说他发现那是个可教

导孩子价值观的好平台。通过舞狮，孩子学会团结同心，年纪大的也学会经常

照顾小的。“我把所有的学生当成自己的孩子，尽心尽力教导他们，就像是教自

己的孩子。”

他注意到孩子们自参加舞狮团后，态度改变了，许多家长也感到惊讶。

当他们看到孩子的演出时，都为孩子的成就感到骄傲。“能让别人快乐时，我

也快乐”。

多年前，中心的孩子和老师为

他庆祝生日让他十分感动和鼓舞。他

们用旧杂志做成手工艺品给他当生日

礼物，他一直收藏着。

Olivia 说“一些已长大的学生，

离开后还继续回来找 Michael”，这说

明了 Michael 和孩子们的感情联系，

而 Michael 只是“志愿师父”。

结束访问时，我问教 Michael 对其他义工和有意当义工的人有什么忠告？

他说：“为你所要义务承担的工作尽心尽力吧。”

你也想当义工以协助别人作出改变吗？在我们的家庭、青少年和乐龄服

务工作中，有很多让你当义工的机会，今天就浏览我们的网页


作者：James Lim

翻译：陈天明

学生送他的手工艺品



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“

关怀机构的义工会讯《Volunteer Cares》经常有非

常精彩的文章，由一群义工义务撰写，把志愿服务的精

神和故事跟社会大众分享，这让我很感动，也踏出了我

当义工的第一步。

我刚从文化机构退休，由于健康关系，我无法实

际参与前线义工服务诸如和老人家聊天，或与青少年一

起服务社区的活动。

正如一些关怀机构的义工所说，服务社会不拘形

式，这鼓舞了我贡献英译中的信心，希望借助过去在文化企业的一点小专长，

把关怀机构的义工会讯《Volunteer Cares》中的精彩故事、要向社会大众传达的

信息，翻译成中文，让更多人可以认识及了解关怀机构服务社会大众的宗旨和

使命，也把关怀机构的触角伸展到中小型企业、华商组织、宗乡团体，及邻里

商店和居民社区，鼓励他们也从各自的能力范围和途径，去协助福利慈善团体

为有需要的社会群体服务。

我希望我的翻译，也能让中文读者读到精彩的关怀社会文章。 ”

vcares issue 1 - the volunteer shifu

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