Light UP Lives Charity

By Conrad Edmund Bateman

Mitch Albom once said that, “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

In conjunction with a yearlong celebration of UCSI University’s Silver Jubilee, the UCSI Student Council, the UCSI University Student Affairs Office, and main sponsor, Hotlink, saw it fit that both University students and staff give a little something back to society. Thus, the Light UP Lives charity, a 25 home charity run was organized and held on the 26^th of February, 2011.

With almost 200 volunteers, Light UP Lives consisted of 13 teams visiting various homes for children and the elderly. Not to mention donations ranging from food, clothes, shoes, toys and many other items poured in from the rest of the UCSI University community for these special homes.

The 25 different homes were mostly situated in the Klang Valley and Selangor, whilst one was in Bentong, Pahang. All 13 teams had at least two homes to visit, spread cheer and goodwill, as well as love. By eight in the morning, all volunteers were briefed, and sent packing, with the items needed, to their designated homes on charted vans and busses.

Each team designed specific programs for each of the homes they were to visit. Activities ranged from various dance and song performances, aerobics exercises, a treasure hunt, and the must do community service and sharing sessions.

Team 3, was lead by Emeline Liew, an enthusiastic A-Levels student, who had about 18 volunteers, one of the biggest teams out of the 13, to guide.

“I was a little apprehensive at first but I had a good and reliable team. This event was a very meaningful, eye opening, and fun experience that I would never forget. Not only did it teach me to lead well but also to give back to society whenever I can. The lives of these people touched me deeply”

Team 3 was designated to visit Ti Ratana Welfare Society, a place which has an old folk’s home that houses 240 people and an orphanage, including a shelter for women. Emeline’s team also visited Yayasan Sunbeams Home, a home for orphaned or single parent children.

As facilitator for team 3, the Light UP Lives charity helped me better understand how these places are run and sustained. As for the people that call these places home, donations in monetary terms are never enough. Ultimately, money gets no one anywhere. A little time spent with the children and the elderly can go a long way in adding comfort and some happiness in these people’s lives. The smiles on the faces of the little children and the old folk’s said a lot when Team 3 presented them with goodie bags from Hotlink and other donations.

“I like it when people come by and visit. We sometimes have little activities to do and talking to someone else makes it less boring,” said a friendly elderly lady who refused to be named, an inmate at the Ti Ratana Welfare Society. She went on to say, “The other donations, not money, always help. I use the money I get for food… sometimes I want a little flavour,” in between laughs as she explained.

Form the immediate feedback gathered, it would be easy to say that the Light UP Lives charity made a big impact in the lives of the very many volunteers. Some are already planning for a second visit, already building strong relationships with the various people living in these homes. The biggest lesson that one can take away from such an event would be that, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,” as quoted from Aesop.