Welcome
A very good morning and warm welcome to all of you!
I am very happy to see so many of you here at our special charity golf event today.
1. A Caring Labour Movement
1.1 This year marks NTUC’s 50th anniversary and indeed it is a significant milestone in the Labour Movement’s history.
1.2 For the past 5 decades, the Labour Movement has been championing the interests of our workers and members, so as to help them to earn better living and lead better lives. And we will continue to do so for many more years to come.
1.3 As a caring Labour Movement, we also make a concerted effort to reach out to our low-income members as we believe that no one should be left behind because of their financial circumstances.
1.4 In 2009, the Labour Movement launched the U Care Fund to provide assistance to our low-income members and their families through various programmes, such as U Stretch vouchers, Back to School vouchers, bursaries and scholarships, among others. We also contribute to the Bright Horizons Fund and NTUC Eldercare Trust to help needy children and elderly in our community respectively.
1.5 With the recovery of our economy in 2010 and robust growth this year, many of our workers are earning better wages today.
1.6 However, the concern is the escalating inflation which will greatly impact the low-income households, especially in their daily necessities. Therefore, for 2011, U Care Fund will set aside $11.7 million to assist our low-income members and their families to cope with the rising cost of living. We will share more details when we roll out the various assistance programmes later.
2. U Care Charity Golf 2011
2.1 In order for us to be able to do all this, U Care Fund organises today’s Charity Golf, the first of two fundraisers this year.
2.2 Today’s event is of special significance, as it is because of all of you here, we are able to have 50 flights of golfers coming together for a worthy cause and show of solidarity on this momentous occasion in NTUC’s 50 years of history. Thank you very much and I salute you for your show of support!
2.3 For today’s charity golf event, we are very grateful to have the strong support of our donors (that’s all of you here), which include our affiliated unions and association, our management and tripartite partners, who contributed generously through the purchase of golf flights or making outright donations. And we are happy to announce that we have raised $718,700 from this golf event. Your contribution will certainly make a positive difference to the lives of our beneficiaries. Thank you once again!
2.4 I would also like to make special mention and thank our major donors, Singapore Labour Foundation, NTUC FairPrice Foundation, NTUC Income, NTUC Choice Homes and ComfortDelgro Corporation for their generosity. We will invite them on stage in a while to announce their respective donations which will add to what we have raised so far.
2.5 With such strong support, I am pleased to say that we are on track to achieving our overall fundraising target this year.
2.6 The U Care Charity Golf 2011 is indeed a unique LM golf event, where we have gathered 50 flights of golfers to come together for a good cause. Not only are we playing a 27-hole golf tournament, we will have novelty challenge at every single hole with 100 prizes up for grabs. And helping us to make this event possible, we must really thank all our sponsors.
2.7 First, I would like to thank our Hole-in-One sponsor, Performance Motors Limited for kindly sponsoring 2 BMWs, one 5series and one 3 series for the six Par 3 holes. Thank you Performance Motors.
2.8 Next, let me thank NTUC Foodfare which so graciously agreed to underwrite all food and beverage costs for our event, including breakfast, lunch and tonight’s dinner. Thank you NTUC Foodfare.
2.9 And to have all 3 golf courses for our event today, we must show our appreciation to Orchid Country Club which closed the entire golf course just for our use. Thank you OCC for your strong support and also for sponsoring green fees as prizes.
2.10 And to mark today’s iconic event, we are very pleased to have Canon Singapore which is sponsoring the printing of our commemorative folders which will have each golfer’s picture on the front cover. These will be given out during our dinner this evening. Thank you Canon Singapore.
2.11 I would also like to thank NTUC FairPrice Foundation, NTUC Club, Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Raffles Hotel Singapore and Royal Plaza on Scotts for their kind sponsorship of prizes and goodie bag items.
2.12 Lastly, I would like to thank our advisor, Bro Yeo Khee Leng and organising committee members for helping us to organize this iconic, once-in-50-years charity golf! Thank you very much!
3. Conclusion
3.1 In closing, on behalf of our beneficiaries, let me once again thank you for your unstinting support all these years and for believing in what we do. By Doing Together to Do Good, we are able to Do More for our fellow workers.
3.2 With that, I wish you a pleasant day ahead. Enjoy yourselves at the golf game.
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