The first phase of our Feast started in July together with the celebration of Racial Harmony and we had 12 schools and nearly 100 families taking part in the lanterns-making with cross-cultural themes. We launched a Cross-cultural Lanterns-making Competition during the month - (as U all know Singaporeans love Competitions & Prize-giving !) We ran an advert. in the Straits Times on JULY 25, Friday to announce all the FEAST. Total of 95 lantern entries for cross-cultural lanterns alone have now been received ( as of the closing date for the competition on 15 August).

Since beginning of August we have rolled out the 2nd phase of the FEAST and that is our LANTERNS OF HOPE. The prison inmates even joined us making 80 lanterns of hope - 77 small lanterns plus 3 Big Lanterns - made at Changi and Tampines Prisons by teams of 12 to 20 inmates!

Volunteers from NTU, Poly, National Volunteers Centre, Salvation Army's Peacehaven and Bedok Multiservice Centre and the Pasir Ris Family Centre have been supportive as well. I’m truly encouraged to see that there are although not many, still people in Singapore who genuinely CARE & ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR TIME, TALENT & TREASURE to express this not only in lip-service but in real work !

I must add that I'm grateful in particular to the team of friends and volunteers who took a whole weekday off on a Tuesday to help us at the Tampines Prison. You may like to assume that all these people are either "self-employed" or "unemployed" but let me tell you how wrong you are! At least two of the volunteers with me said they actually applied "leave" officially from office & you would recognise if I tell U where they work - some top corporate names too ! I’M SURE YOU HAVE EARNED FOR YOURSELVES PRICELESS GIFTS & BLESSINGS WHICH MONEY
CAN'T BUY !


Nellie Har
President
Bones-N-Flesh Arts