The RM1,000,000 mark in sight

APOH Chapter 6 charity climb for Rumah Kids has since been completed 3 1/2 months ago. A quick check on the amount raised for Rumah Kids with Mr. Roy Tan last week gave us a pleasing surprise, RM 224,000. This amount is shy of the RM 240,000 we have set which means we are only RM 16,000 short.

We are confident that the RM 1,000,000 mark

can be breached at anytime!

(FYI: the RM 1 million is a collective donation amount for various NGOs since 2007 when we started APOH charity climb)

The donation collection drive is still ongoing till year end as we want to leverage as much time as possible so that un-aware friends, colleague and family members can still donate. Especially we are approaching the season of giving and sharing in December.

Cheers to all!

The Mountain Beckons Our Respect

This year’s climb had us thinking about the title of this blog. Mt. Kinabalu is the most walkable mountain in the world but it doesn’t mean that it is the most conquerable. Many people have conquered this mountain umpteen times easily or with some concerted effort. For instance, Mr. Jimmy, our climb organizer has climbed 13 times. Mr. Foo Jong Wee has done equivalent. Every time when we go back to this mountain we stand in awe of its magnificent beauty but never giving respect for its treacherous trails.

There were two ugly incidences happened in this year’s climb that awaken us all to pay ‘proper’ respect to Mt. Kinabalu. One such is the death of a climber. The late Mr. Richard Yeo (who was in the first day climb) in his 60s collapse and went unconscious after trekking 1 km from base camp. There were no signs of he being unhealthy during training and right before the climb. People rendered CPR on him but couldn’t revive him. It is learnt that he underwent stenting procedure 1 year ago for a blocked artery. This is the saddest chapter in all our 6 years history of A Piece Of Hope charity climb. This incident has taught us that there is high risk in climbing Mt. Kinabalu and we all should heed the WARNING SIGN that is posted at the Timpohon Gate.

Our deepest condolence to the family members of the late Mr. Richard Yeo.

The second incident that never happened in all our 6 years of A Piece Of Hope charity climb is the cancellation of night climb to the summit due to rain. The 100 climbers on the second day (16 July 2012) climb were sorely disappointed. Rain just didn’t stop pouring which rendered the trail slippery to climb. It was a good call by the guides due to safety reasons but wasn’t good at all for the climbers as their final destination was the summit. It was a tinge better for the first day climbers as 60% of the 100 climbers made it to the summit.

Set aside these ugly incidences, till date we have collected more than RM160,000 for Rumah KIDS the NGO whom we are raising fund for. The soliciting of donations continues until early November when then we cap off APOH 2012 Chapter 6 with a cheque presentation some time during Universal Children’s Day. Shy of RM80,000 still, we have confidence that our target of RM240,000 is reachable if all put in that extra effort to get more friends, colleagues and relatives to donate to Rumah KIDS.

Press Conference @ Rumah KIDS

A press conference for A Piece Of Hope Chapter 6 was held on 9^th June 2012 at Rumah KIDS in Klang. The press that came were Sin Chew, Oriental Daily and Star. In attendance also were 12 APOH committee members and supporters along with the Chairman of Rumah KIDS, Mr. Henry Pillai, and his staff members.

Cheque presentation to the amount RM40,000

The following is an excerpt of the press release:

Klang, Selangor – Year after year and in its 6^th year running now, a group of avid Mt. Kinabalu climbers who aptly call themselves A PIECE OF HOPE (APOH), will scale one of the highest mountains in South East Asia come July for a charitable purpose. The APOH climbing group totalling 200 climbers this year is maybe one of the largest climbing contingents to climb up Mt. Kinabalu. Interestingly, some of APOH’s group members have climbed up Mt. Kinabalu more than twelve times consecutively.

In the past five years of climbing Mount Kinabalu for charity, APOH has helped to raise more than RM760,000 for various children support type NGOs in and around the Klang Valley. Last year, they managed to raise a whopping RM220,000 for Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Hulu Langat. Following these successes year after year, they are again climbing for charity and this time to benefit an NGO called, Persatuan Rumah Kanak-Kanak Ini Disayangi or better known as Rumah KIDS.

RM40,000 collected from all climbers

The children of Rumah KIDS, Klang

Mr Ting Ted Sun the fund raising charity event organiser for APOH climbers says, “Last year’s fund raising effort was just unexpected in terms of total donation collected which came out to be well over RM220,000. It is by far our most successful effort in all of the 5 years climbing for charity. When we set the target last year, we were quite pessimistic at first about reaching our target due to slowdown of the economy and rising inflation. We were thinking that most people will stinge in giving but we were totally wrong based on the outcome. I am truly touched by the generosity of those who gave in these trying times. This year as we embark again on raising funds, we want to challenge ourselves by setting target at RM1,000,000. This is to meant that we will help to raise RM240,000 for Rumah KIDS and if we reach this figure, we would have raised RM1,000,000 for the last 6 years of our A PIECE OF HOPE charity climbs. We are confident in doing this as our efforts have been very well received and known more widely now since starting APOH in 2007.

Lead climber, Mr Jimmy Lim, indicated that they have 200 climbers again this year and will be making the climb from 14 to 18 July 2012. Climbers will be flying into Kota Kinabalu from all over the country including Singapore. Mr. Jimmy Lim added that some climbers from Singapore are also emulating APOH’s effort by organising their own fund raising program in Singapore. Jimmy Lim whom has climbed Mt. Kinabalu for 12 times, said that the climb will be in two stages again like last year, each stage will have 100 climbers. He further adds that the jigsaw puzzle pieces will not be assembled at the summit due to the two stages climb arrangement but will be assembled at Laban Rata. Assembling it at Laban Rata will also be easier as the weather at the peak is quite unpredictable.

Group photo at press conference

The Ball Has Started Rolling

Today is almost the end of May 2012. Although it is the end of something, it doesn't mean that work has to come to an end or as some may say 'sau koong'. We at A Piece Of Hope (APOH) has gotten the ball rolling on our donation drive. The official letter for our charity event is out and can be downloaded by clicking on this LINK.

To those climbers whom are following us up Mt. Kinabalu this year, Jimmy might have emailed you the letter. If not you can download it from the link above. To those people whom are following our good and noble cause but are not climbing with us, you can carefully use the letter to help Rumah KIDS this year. We welcome all forms of assistance on our effort, so long as it is in good faith.

A press conference will be called on 9th June at Rumah KIDS Klang. To those interested to join us there, please email us on your intention and we will provide more details on it.

Happy Soliciting Donation!

Survey visit to Rumah Kids and climb registration closure

Just like any other year, the time has come to pay a visit to the selected children NGO for A Piece Of Hope Chapter 6 Mt. Kinabalu Charity Climb. This home was short listed from a list of 7 homes in and around Klang Valley area. Rumah Kids managed to fulfill our main selection criteria, government tax exemption status.

On 3rd March 2012 and arriving 2.30pm at the home’s main residence, Lai, Engu, Tatt Boon and myself met up with the vice-president of Rumah Kids, Mr. Roy Tan. As it was a Saturday afternoon, we were also greeted by some of the children whom were sitting in the living room watching TV. Mr. Roy explained to us that they have over 60 children in total in the 2 homes in Klang and other 2 homes in Subang Jaya. These children under their care are abused, abandoned or neglected but some are also orphans.

He mentioned that it takes a lot to care for these children and therefore they have a set of couple living in each home that serves as the children’s parents. With this concept, the children have some one to look up to instead of just a home manager that comes and go during the day. He cited that the 2 homes in Subang Jaya was voluntarily handed to them a few years ago as the people running it could no longer sustain as there were financial and organizational problems.

 

The children that stay in Rumah Kids can stay as long as possible until they are financially independent and are of the right age to leave the home. As a testament of this, they have a 22 year old boy right now in the home. He will soon reach that stage but until then he can stay. With such quality care rendered to these children at Rumah Kids even at an advance age, APOH definitely would want it to continue.

With the visit concluded, registration of APOH climbers also comes to a CLOSURE as we have reached the magical figure of 200 climbers again! Seeing such dedication in the people running Rumah Kids, APOH could only see an opportunity to help raise funds for them. The time has come, the time is now!