Singapore, 8 January 2009 - Forecasts may be gloomy for the year ahead but it is definitely not a deterrent for acts of charity which will benefit the vulnerable when they need it the most. This Saturday (10 January), close to 6,000 students, volunteers and staff of the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) will be stationed across the island, to collect funds for SRC’s Flag Day 2009.

An annual initiative by the SRC, this year’s Flag Day will see the volunteers kick start the fundraising effort as early as 8am in the morning. Comprising students from more than 65 primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, the volunteers will be busy seeking street donations from busy areas such as near bus interchanges, MRT stations, shopping malls and town centres. Some students will also be going to selected HDB neighbourhoods to seek door-to-door donations.

With the help and enthusiasm of its staff and teams of student and adult volunteers, SRC aims to collect a total of $80,000 this year. Proceeds from the collection will contribute towards the local humanitarian work of SRC in needful areas such as:

• Helping to subsidise the costs incurred for a needy elderly or patient who requires Red Cross Non-Emergency Ambulance Service to bring them to and from their medical appointments;
• Subsidising the cost of training volunteers so that they may be first aid or disaster management ready within the community during local or overseas emergencies.
• Subsidising the cost for food, nursing care, accommodation and therapy sessions for our severely/multiply-disabled residents at the Red Cross Home for the Disabled.

For more information regarding the event, please contact:

Ms Phoebee Ong
Executive, Corporate Communications
Singapore Red Cross
Tel: 6336 0269 ext 274
Hp: 9862 1595
Email: phoebee.ong@redcross.org.sg