Serangoon North Village SPRING Festival Opening,Pt 4

Even as I was positioning my digital camera to capture this snapshot, I was wondering for many of our simple kampong folks ...such moments are always special to them.

But they hardly, if ever, get to see photos such as these., much less having a print or copy of it for keepsake. Right?

That's WHY I have been reiterating THIS VERY IMPORTANT POINT to the key CCC members that THE EXISTENCE OF THIS BLOGSITE SHOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO ALL RESIDENTS OF OUR KAMPONG.

Then they can update themselves and find or look for pictures and photos of events they participated in.

They could also download photos for themselves and it is so convenient with this blogsite of ours.

But this has not happened...informing the residents about this blogsite.

Let me illustrate with a true story.

In December, I was having lunch at a nearby coffeeshop just opposite the temple, Sg N Ave 1 when Mr Chua of Goodwill Birds saw me and we ate and chatted together. It was purely by chance that he mentioned in our conversation that " he wished we had a website for photos of the many community events held and for communication." I was shocked he did not know about this BLOGSITE I started for the GRLs and he was surprised when I told him such a website exists! He DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IT AT ALL ! I wrote his web address down and later sent him an email as well as linked his website to ours.

More people involved in the GRLs and other committees should be linked to the site.

This piece of news should have been quickly publicised in the Serangoon Newsletter, giving this website address in BOLD.
Since none of that has been done,

our residents and even Key GRLs like Mr Chua remains in the dark and was no wiser

What an irony!

The internet is and will be here.

It is like a GIANT BRIDGE that has been built across and linking all cities and everyone can travel on that road.

There is no such thing as" wait for the best time to travel or use the road". Unk Dicko says no need to wait. The more you wait, the world will soon pass you by. You will be left behind.

The earlier and the faster we can reach the residents and vice-versa...the better it will be for everyone.

Just look at the top photo above. It is such a lovely sight. The little girl, the grandma and the MP of the area where they live.

The grandma and others knew we had many cameras snapping away.But how does this simple grandma know where to find the picture? When will it appear? How can I get a copy? etc.. etc.

Informing the residents quickly and properly by telling them about this blogsite will solve those questions I have posed.

Serangoon North Village SPRING Festival Opening,Pt 3

After the light up, there followed presentations of Thank You plaques by Mrs Lim to the various sponsors of the event. And some lovely singing by the stage peformers accompanied by a Live band.
There was an interesting banter between the emcee and the young lady who entertained the crowd...in Mandarin. Unk Dicko understood the message and fully agree with it wholeheartedly.
What was the message?

Roughly translated, " since we live in THIS village or kampong, we should do more of our buying or shopping for goods or services from shops at our own backyard. The shops provide and do cater to all with quite a wide range of goods. Moreover, it makes much sense to support your own kampong folks be it in business or in other ways. Everyone benefits."


Photos:
While the stage performances continued, Mrs Lim, accompanied by her GRLs, went round to meet and greet practically everyone who was there.

I was pleasantly surprised that despite all the doom and gloom that has descended upon our economy and that has seemingly darkened our horizons, most of the people I saw were still looking upbeat, warm and positive.

This must be a good sign...the outward exuberance of a people reflect their inner resilence.

Serangoon North Village SPRING Festival Opening, Pt 2

After the speeches were delivered, the emcee invited Daisie Yip, the Chairman of CCC for Sg Gardens and all the grassroot leaders up onto the stage, to join Mrs Lim Hwee Hua in setting off the Official light up. They proceeded up the stage with some handy poppers. As soon as Mrs Lim

set off the mechanism for the light up, there were flashes here and there and popping sounds crackled. Suddenly, the entire front of the stage area was swirling with huge confettis and streamers, which helped by all the fans around, created quite a magical spectacle of sorts. Photo shows some GRLs from far left...Benedict, Thana, Victor, Edmund, Patrick ( Chairman of the Association, was struggling with his popper) "Sifu" Lee, Daisie.

In the good old days, real firecrackers were used to usher in the C N Y...and the pavement and streets all over Singapore were covered in a sea of red.

But I guess, time changes many things and this is just one of them.

And it is definitely SAFER !

Middies and oldies like myself can tell you all the nostalgic and fun-filled things about firecrackers in our time. We can also tell about the horrors they have caused.

Photo:
Patrick....still struggling, while streamers were cascading down after being popped. Haha! Maybe Patrick would be consoled if he knew this...in the old days of firecrackers, when shopkeepers lighted up each packet with a joss stick and threw them onto the road...most would explode. But some would not. We call them "duds".

We boys would wait until all firing ended and then rush to look for such "duds" among the exploded red debris. We knew how to turn duds into goodies again!

So was Patrick given a dud? I don't know. You'll have to ask him.

Key people of Serangoon North Village!

More key persons of Serangoon

North Village!

Photo credits: Unk Dicko

Serangoon North Village SPRING Festival Opening, Pt 1

A short while ago, I returned from the Serangoon North Village Spring Festival night Opening ceremony 2009 , followed by the official light up. The event was organised by the Serangoon North Merchants' Association.
Mrs Lim Hwee Hua was the Guest of Honour.

The stage and pavillion area was very well decorated. In fact, last night Daisie and I were walking around that place and saw some key Committee members putting the finishing touches to the decorations. They were really hard working...Mdm Teng, Patrick, Edmund, Chua , etc..and their wives too...pitched in to help.

Dr Edmund Tan, as Chairman of the Organising Committee, was the first to be invited up on stage to give the Welcome address.

He was warmly applauded by the good crowd of residents as well as community leaders present.

The crowd and especially the coffeeshop and other shops nearby were filled with more people than usual.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, the MP for the area, was invited to give her Speech.

She too was warmly applauded after she spoke. She was presented with a bouquet of flowers by a sweet, little girl.