Over 26,000 people climb 12m steps to raise funds for needy students

SINGAPORE - Twelve million steps - that's the equivalent to running up and down all 101 floors of Taiwan's tallest skyscraper, Taipei 101, about 2,800 times.

That was the total number of steps achieved by some 26,400 participants in an event which aimed to raise funds for needy students to get the stationery they need.

The first ever 3M Step-Up Challenge @ South East saw $120,000 worth of 3M stationery products raised for needy students from the South East district.

This was announced by Mayor of South East District, Dr Maliki Osman, and 3M Singapore's Managing Director, Mr Arthur Fong, at the Finale event held at Bedok Green Primary School this afternoon.

Dr Maliki Osman commented: "We were overwhelmed by the warm response to the inaugural 3M Step-Up Challenge @ South East. It showed what our community would do for a charitable cause, and allowed people to remain active too. We're especially heartened by the enthusiastic support from students, who helped their peers through small yet very meaningful actions."

More than 45 partners - including schools, voluntary welfare organisations, parent groups and corporations - contributed to the challenge over a two-month period.

Partners from all over the island signed up for the challenge and fixed a venue of their choice to help "accumulate" steps. These include students from ITE College East, parent support groups from Victoria School and Feng Shan Primary School, volunteers from Feng Shan Community Centre, and staff from 3M Singapore and Deloitte.

At the finale event, Dr Osman and Mr Fong presented stationery hampers to 40 needy students from Bedok Green Primary School. Each hamper, worth $40, consists of ten innovative and functional 3M stationery products for students' daily use.

The remaining hampers will be distributed by South East Community Development Council (SECDC) to the respective qualified students, who are either from lower income families under the MOE-FAS scheme or students in need from South East district, in the following weeks. A total of 30,000 pieces of stationery products will benefit 3,000 students in total.