“We have no more available tickets!” Fion’s loud voice woke up the entire neighborhood early 18th February morning at the meeting point below an HDB block at Chin Swee road, before all 14 tables of elderly and accompanying volunteers marched upstairs to Red Star Restaurant for our annual CNY celebrations at Red Star Restaurant for the elderly.

It was an auspicious date to hold it, since it was the 9th day in the Chinese Calendar, and we were beginning the 9th period for those who are into Fengshui.

Keeping Hope Alive conducted door knock visits weeks before to invite elderly residents from rental flats out for a Lunar New Year lunch at Red Star Restaurant. Every year, a few Keeping Hope Alive volunteers and friends would sponsor at least 10 tables for the elderly to enjoy Lohei, and a multi course meal at the Chinese Restaurant, well known for its classic dim sum menu. This year, we filled 14 tables, and in advance, each elderly resident received a bag of goodies and an ang bao with $100 from our sponsors!

I was assigned to assist an elderly pair (I am unsure of their relationship, so I will not asume that they are married). Both spoke Cantonese, and I thought, “Perfect! A chance for me to practise!” and I felt my limited vocabulary stretched to the limit.

In speaking with the pair, though, I felt a pang of nostalgia as I remembered my grandparents, who mainly spoke Cantonese when they were still around. I missed them dearly, and reminded myself that perhaps, that was what I was doing this for as well, to serve the elderly as their grandkids or their kids in this moment.

I accompanied both of my wards up to the restaurant. As a volunteer, I did my best to support the elderly, but I honestly felt a bit useless there, since most of the elderly could move unaided. I am perhaps, here, just for physical company, and to chit chat with the elderly.

Our youngest volunteers were still in Primary school, and they did what they could to help direct traffic and to serve the elderly. Up at the restaurant, we had Ryan, one of our volunteers dressing up as Cai Shen Ye or the God of Wealth, a welcome sight to most Chinese because he brought wealth and prosperity with him. We had people shaking hands with him, touching him, wanting to take photos with him, some of them were general guests of the restaurant and not even the elderly we were taking care of! Our Cai Shen graciously took the responsibility of his cosplaying a deity seriously, and happily posed for pictures like a celebrity.

So with multiple cries of “Heng Ong Huats”, we began our lunch over Yusheng and all the 4 worded Chinese wishes for good health and good luck.

With this, we would like to wish one an all a prosperous year of the dragon, from all of us at KHA!