4,000 students and 1,000 parents and church members band together to raise funds for 14 Methodist schools

By RONALD CHAN

Rear-Adm Teo started to jog as soon as he flagged off the walk. --  Methodist Message picture.

IF EVER there was an event in our community that showed how inextricably linked we are between church and school, it was the MethodistWalk002 of Feb 23, 2002.

The fund-raising walk, organised by the Methodist Schools' Foundation, was not about any one school's achievement, accolade or triumph. It was simply a time of uniting in faith for a common cause - to raise funds for our children's education.

It was the coming together of 4,000 children representing their schools on the field of Anglo-Chinese Junior College that wonderful blessed sunny morning. It was the coming together of some 1,000 parents, old girls, old boys and church members representing some of these children standing there.

It was the coming together of our 14 school principals representing the network of our Methodist educational institutions with the support of young and old, past and present principals and teachers, including a retired principal, Mr Lee Hah Ing, who, at 87 years of age, was the oldest Methodist participant.

By God's grace, it was a coming together of the greater Methodist family for the common cause of raising a total of $1.6 million for the future improvement of all our children's learning facilities.

The walk was flagged off by the Education Minister, Rear-Adm (NS) Teo Chee Hean, who added a quicker pace that morning by suggesting jogging the whole 4.8km. In true spirit, a contingent of our girls and boys eagerly kept him company and finished the route together in about 20 minutes.

Committee members of the Methodist Schools' Foundation (MSF) Walk are humbled by the immense support of time, energy and money of everyone that made this event a success. We want to thank every school principal, every school representative, pastor, church member and friend.

Special thanks go to our sponsors who generously contributed to us even in these times. And a big "thank you" must go to our school children for rising to the challenge to approach relatives and friends for donations.

The committee is even more humbled that despite hitches and problems, the Lord saw us through it all. Praise be to Him.

Methodist Schools' Foundation

The Methodist Schools' Foundation (MSF) was established on June 2, 1997 to raise funds to: Build, maintain and improve school buildings and facilities of the Methodist schools in Singapore; and Purchase educational equipment, teaching aids and computers for the Methodist schools.

The funds to be disbursed to the schools will come from earnings of the MSF.

The MSF was launched as the Methodist School Buildings Endowment Fund with a $5-million donation from The Methodist Church in Singapore. Since then, it has raised around $2.5 million, including the $1.6 million from the MethodistWalk2002. It became known as the MSF on Oct 10, 2001.

Last year, the MSF distributed $150,000 to various Methodist schools to help in their PRIME programmes and purchase personal computers, audio-visual equipment and library books. More funds would be disbursed to the schools in future.

Smiles all round as Rear-Adm Teo (fifth from left) and special guests and Methodist Schools' Foundation board members wait for the start of the walk. -- Methodist Message picture.

The $150,000 was distributed to six schools: Geylang Methodist Primary School -- $50,000. Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' Secondary School -- $50,000. Anglo-Chinese Junior College -- $20,000. Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) -- $10,000. Fairfield Methodist Primary School -- $10,000. St Francis Methodist School -- $10,000.

A spokesman for the MSF said: "We will continue to look at the needs of the 14 Methodist schools and decide on a case-to-case basis, how much to give to each of the schools. The funds will be given strictly according to each individual school's needs."

A long line of walkers heading down Dover Road. -- Methodist Message picture.

Ronald Chan is a board member of the Methodist Schools' Foundation.