Beneficiaries and corporate partners team up for ComChest vertical marathon

Beneficiaries and corporate partners team up for ComChest vertical marathon

SINGAPORE - Beneficiaries and corporate partners of Community Chest will be teaming up for the "Race to the Sky" vertical marathon at this year's ComChest Heartstrings Walk on Sunday.

Neo Yong Tai, 18, a beneficiary-turned-volunteer of the Youth Guidance Outreach Services (YGOS), will be one of the participants on 18 August.

Yong Tai was heavily addicted to gaming and as a result, skipped school frequently, had poor school results and strained relationship with his parents.

Due to his gaming addiction and disinterest in school, Yong Tai also struggled in managing his social life.

He overcame his gaming addiction after being introduced to YGOS, a youth agency funded by Community Chest. Subsequently, his school attendance and results improved drastically, and he eventually mended his relationship with his parents.

Yong Tai is currently a regular volunteer with YGOS, and uses his experiences in mentoring other youth facing similar issues.

Partnering Yong Tai in the vertical marathon is Ms Judy Hoe, Senior Executive, Category Development and Merchandising from NTUC FairPrice, and two other beneficiaries, Jonathan Lim, 15, and Leslie Goh, 18.

The vertical marathon will also see the largest number of beneficiaries taking part since it first started.

In total, 17 beneficiaries from three charities serving youth, families and persons with disabilities will be scaling 57 storeys of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and capping off the memorable experience with a bird's eye view of the Singapore skyline at the Sands SkyPark.

More than 5,000 participants will represent 65 corporate partners.

Keppel Group sent a total of 6 teams for the vertical marathon and has sent over 130 walkers in 3 years.

Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Mr Chan Chun Sing, will also join the walk.

Despite sustaining injury to his knee caps, Project Manager from Keppel Shipyard Mr Wong Chou Soon, is driven to attempt the vertical marathon for the third time this year and maintain the timing he clocked last year which ranked third amongst all individuals.

This is the third time the event is being held at the Marina Bay Sands.

Over $24 million from the funds raised by Community Chest this year will go towards helping 14 charities funded by Community Chest.

Mr Hadi Hamid, 48, an audio-logical technician from Canossian School has taken part in the walk every year despite having been born without one leg.

He has also been helping children with hearing impairment for more than a decade by making customised ear moulds.

For the first time, members of the public will be able to take part in experiential activities during the carnival at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza.

The games will allow the public to experience the challenges faced by the beneficiaries in their daily lives.

 

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