9 Senior Volunteers Received Awards for Their Contributions to the Community

If you have elderly parents, you’d probably have heard this before: I’m old already, no use already.

But does getting on in age really make you useless?

These 9 seniors that we’re going to talk about will smash that misconception to pieces. Itty-bitty pieces.

9 Senior Volunteers Received Awards for Their Contributions to the Community

Tai Yen Keong is 67 years old.

But instead of spending his hours at the coffee shop drinking coffee and talking with friends, Mr Tai kept himself busy by giving back to society.

He volunteers at the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and the Indian Heritage Centre, and worked as a receptionist for one of non-profit organisation RSVP Singapore’s programme.

The best part of it all?

He isn’t the only one.

And on Tuesday (9 Mar), he was one of nine senior volunteers who were recognised for their efforts in the RSVP’s volunteer appreciation day event.

At the event, awards were presented for two years, 2019 and 2020.

That’s because, similar to the Star Awards, last year’s event was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organisation for senior volunteers hosted the event to honour the around-600 senior volunteers they have serving the community.

Simply Wanted To Give Back To Society

Mr Tai, who received the Volunteer of the Year award, was surprised that he got it.

According to Mr Tai, he had served to give back to society.

He added that every volunteer is important in RSVP and he is honoured to be awarded.

Mr Edwin Tong, who is the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), says that every senior is a “resource” to the community.

He pointed out that their wisdom and experience is invaluable in helping others, especially younger people who don’t have the same “breadth of experience” that the seniors have.

Mr Tong added that he encourages his elderly parents to do things out of their comfort zones, pointing out that volunteering helps to keep the elderly mentally and physically active.

“I think it keeps them engaged, keeps them focused. It also gives them a strong sense of self worth.”

The chairman of RSVP Singapore—which serves the seniors, at-risk primary school students from low-income families and mental health patients under rehabilitation—says he was heartened that senior volunteers were just as eager to continue volunteering despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Despite the challenges of Covid-19, I’m heartened that our senior volunteers are very eager to continue volunteering and have done so with safety measures in place.”

Well, if you have elderly parents at home, and they’re always talking about how useless they are, you might just want to show them this article.

Truly, age is just a number, isn’t it?

Feature Image: Facebook (RSVP Singapore The Organisation of Senior Volunteers)