Led by CDL Group General Manager (GGM) Mr Chia Ngiang Hong and hosted by Mrs Cecilia Kwek, wife of CDL Executive Chairman Mr Kwek Leng Beng, volunteers from City Sunshine Club (CSC) – CDL’s employee volunteer platform, were excited to usher in the Chinese New Year with 60 elderly beneficiaries from Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home, NTUC Health Active Aging Centre (Bukit Merah View) and Kembangan Chai Chee Senior Activity Centre.

Held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore’s Grand Shanghai restaurant on 31 January 2023, this festive gathering has been organised since 2003 for Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home beneficiaries. Lo Hei (tossing of yusheng – a raw fish salad dish traditionally served during Chinese New Year) was one of the highlights that afternoon. The "reunion" lunch was nostalgic as we could once again, continue with this tradition after a three-year disruption due to the pandemic, during which CSC catered festive lunch bento sets from Millennium Hotels and Resorts, delivered to residents of Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home. The much-awaited festive celebration brought much joy to the elderly who were all smiling brightly and their eyes sparkled with eagerness as the programme unfolded.

Besides a sumptuous spread, the elderly beneficiaries were treated to a medley of songs by performers at Grand Shanghai, along with a special rendition of the classic Chinese song “The Moon Represents My Heart” by CDL GGM Mr Chia and Ms Helen Tan, Co-Chairman of Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home. At the end of the luncheon, the beneficiaries were presented with mandarin oranges and red packets, jointly gifted by CDL and Mrs Kwek to usher in the New Year with good health and blessings for them.

Initiated in 1999, CSC is CDL’s dedicated employee volunteer platform to nurture a spirit of volunteerism among employees and cultivate an engaged workforce. CSC has been providing CDL employees with opportunities to engage meaningfully with community partners in providing support to the less fortunate through a wide range of programmes. In 2022, despite the prevailing COVID-19 restrictions, CDL employees achieved over 680 volunteer hours with participation rate of 47%.