During this period of distress, an act of care does not necessarily have to present itself in the form of masks or hand sanitisers. Our #SGStrong grantee, Kelvin Shieh decided to extend his care to frontline healthcare workers by giving them sunflowers.
“I was reading online about flowers and the meaning behind them. I realised nowadays everyone is at “war” with COVID-19, so I thought why not brighten up the day of these healthcare workers as they go to work.”
Sunflowers traditionally symbolise loyalty, but for Kelvin they symbolise his appreciation for the frontline healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly during this period. Gathering volunteers to wrap bouquets, he has managed to distribute 100 bouquets to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the National Center for Infectious Disease for the healthcare workers stationed there. Even though the gesture is small and not a traditional token of appreciation seen during this time, he hopes that they would still help brighten the days of each worker; to encourage them to push on despite the stress.
“Everyone has a part to play in Singapore, and since I was blessed with a talent in wrapping flowers, I took this as an opportunity to give back to the community.”
We hope that Kelvin’s project will inspire you to remember to show appreciation for the healthcare workers around you. Together, we are stronger than COVID-19.
Since his last project, Kelvin has scaled up his project to extend his gratitude to other healthcare workers in other hospitals. As a second-time grantee, Kelvin has also managed to distribute his lovely flowers to the healthcare workers of Sengkang General Hospital. Wrapping and distributing 400 flower stalks for the medical workers there, Kelvin has once again brought lots of cheer and encouragement to them.
Initially planning to get elderly volunteers involved in the wrapping and distributing of his flowers, the then-newly instated circuit breaker measures had prevented him from doing so. Instead, he saw this as an opportunity for his family to bond as he involved his parents and his brother. Thanks to this project, he really felt that his familial bond had been strengthened.
“The most rewarding experience was when I received a Facebook message from a secondary friend. We had lost contact for many years, but when she saw the bouquet, she texted me and told me she really appreciated the bouquet. It was in that instance that I could feel that the love being spread to other people.”
We hope that Kelvin’s drive to spread love around his community through his multiple projects will also inspire you to take action in your community. Together, we are stronger than COVID-19.