In the spirit of giving

NUS Flag Day 2016 raised funds for 23 beneficiaries supported by the Community Chest

Long before the sun rose this morning, around 7,000 NUS students were already up and about in preparation for the NUS Students' Union’s (NUSSU) annual Flag Day. Every year, Flag Day sees students from different Halls of Residence and faculties making their way to a variety of locations across Singapore to seek donations from the public in aid of beneficiaries chosen.

To lend their support to the hardworking students, members of NUS Management, including NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, and NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Tan Eng Chye joined in with the activities.

Prof Tan Chorh Chuan collecting donations from a member of the public

Although Flag Day is centred on raising funds for the less privileged, Flag Project Director, Year 3 Science student Jeffrey Lee, wanted to emphasise the students’ role in beneficiary engagement instead of just being concerned with the raising of funds.

“This would let the students understand and feel a greater sense of responsibility and connection with the beneficiaries and the larger community,” he said.

“Through NUSSU Flag Day 2016, the NUSSU Flag Committee hopes that participants will be able to commemorate a unique NUS tradition, as well as understand the NUS spirit of giving back to our society,” he added. “We also hope that the NUS flaggers would be able to forge new bonds, inculcate in themselves the spirit of volunteerism and to find the joy in contributing a positive impact to the larger community.”

All donations will go towards the needs of 23 beneficiaries supported by the Community Chest.

Prof Tan Eng Chye giving a word of encouragement to students before they set off

Raffles Hall’s early morning preparation

Helping people who are less well-off is not something that Project Director of Raffles Hall Flag, Liang Weilun, Year 2 Engineering student, is unfamiliar with; he also wears the hat of President of Raffles Volunteer Corp.

Prior to Flag Day proper, Weilun arranged for participants to go down twice to volunteer at HCA Hospice Care, the partnering beneficiary for Raffles Hall’s Flag; once even bringing dogs along for a pet therapy session.

“Seeing the patients being all cheerful and jovial made us believe that joy can be found even in the darkest moments,” he shared, adding that the visits also emphasised to the participants the value and importance of their familial ties.

Raffles Hall hopes to continue with their volunteering partnership with HCA Hospice Care even after Flag Day. 

Flag participants from Raffles Hall