PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation began the New Year by helping to brighten the day of clients of the St. Martin's Home on January 1.
A total of 23 volunteers and some of their family members visited the home on Thursday to help put smiles on the faces of the elderly. They performed for the clients, served them a special New Year's cake, gave them an opportunity to sow seeds of love and presented a total of 65 gifts to clients.
The day began early for some volunteers who enjoyed breakfast together at the Tzu Chi Foundation office and assisted to pack gift packages for the clients before heading to the St. Martin's Home. The first activity at the home was having a client help to light the candle of a special cake, which was subsequently shared amongst clients.
This was followed by a special performance of the Lion Dance and the skit "The Four Wives," performed by volunteers. The skit was done to share the message that each person has four wives in their life – their body, possessions, family and karma. One of the volunteers explained that none of these so-called "wives" accompany us when we leave this world, so it's very important that we all do good to have good karma as this is the only "wife" that will follow us.
Clients were also given a chance to sow seeds of love by contributing to Tzu Chi's recycled "bamboo banks" (donation boxes made from recycled plastic bottles). Donations received go back to the community via the various projects that Tzu Chi executes.
The day's celebrations ended with Tzu Chi volunteers performing a sign language song "one family" with elderly clients and presenting everyone with special gift packages containing two colour books, crayon, coloured pencil, a box of tea, a teddy bear, chocolate and sweets.
Throughout the event, Tzu Chi volunteers took time out to spend some quality time with clients, speaking to them, wishing them a New Year and in some cases also helping St. Martin's Home staff share lunch for clients.
Volunteers were grateful for the opportunity to spend the first day of 2015 putting smiles on the faces of the elderly at the Home. The visit to St. Martin's Home on New Year's Day is an annual activity for Tzu Chi.
Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung thanked volunteers for spending part of their New Year's Day with clients; thanked St. Martin's Home for accommodating the foundation and thanked clients for being gracious recipients. She wished the entire community a blessed 2015.
Tzu Chi Press Release
