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COMMUNITY EVENT- SGMERC Visit to NorthLight Special Education School Nov 8 (OLD)


Guest millionmilebenz

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Guest millionmilebenz

Dear Members,

Here is the Main Community Event for SGMERC for 2008!

This is your chance to put your pride and passion in Mercedes-Benz towards a Good Cause!! :)

As we've mentioned in the Open Letter to SGMERC Members, we will be organizing a special event jointly with Youth Challenge to visit the NorthLight School. The exact format of the event is still being finalized, but we are looking for passionate Merc Owners who will be happy to showcase their pride and joy to the students of NorthLight. Tentatively, the programme will include:

  • Convoy made up of as many Mercs as possible to the school
  • Show & Tell of our cars, especially those with special mods or history
  • Pairing up of students with SGMERC members for a short joy-ride, with a teacher as chaperone

Please put you name down now if you wish to participate in this event:

1. Keltanky

2. Cklasse

3. g8crasher

4. MMB

5. CBlack (tenatative as i might be on trip. will check and confirm)

6. fruitcakepablohoney

7. 9339

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

We are aiming for an impressive convoy of 20 cars to really WOW the kids at NorthLight, so PLEASE SIGN UP ASAP!!!

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Guest Cklasse

MMB and I were at the Northlight school this morning to see first hand about the school's function and the students. First impression for me was they look normal like any students. However, after touring the school and hearing what the students had gone through in their primary schools before getting into Northlight, I was touched and impressed of what the school can do to their life.

I believe We in SGMERC can impart some part of our life's experience and success to the kids in order to inspire them to lead a life full of hope. So, I urge all members to join us for this event and make time to give.

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Dear Members,

Here is the Main Charity Event for SGMERC for 2008!

This is your chance to put your pride and passion in Mercedes-Benz towards a Good Cause!! :)

As we've mentioned in the Open Letter to SGMERC Members, we will be organizing a special event jointly with Youth Challenge to visit the NorthLight School. The exact format of the event is still being finalized, but we are looking for passionate Merc Owners who will be happy to showcase their pride and joy to the students of NorthLight. Tentatively, the programme will include:

  • Convoy made up of as many Mercs as possible to the school
  • Show & Tell of our cars, especially those with special mods or history
  • Pairing up of students with SGMERC members for a short joy-ride, with a teacher as chaperone

Please put you name down now if you wish to participate in this event:

1. Keltanky

2. Cklasse

3. g8crasher

4. MMB

5. CBlack (tenatative as i might be on trip. will check and confirm)

6. fruitcakepablohoney

7. 9339

8. sy69u

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

We are aiming for an impressive convoy of 20 cars to really WOW the kids at NorthLight, so PLEASE SIGN UP ASAP!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Members,

Here is the Main Charity Event for SGMERC for 2008!

This is your chance to put your pride and passion in Mercedes-Benz towards a Good Cause!! :)

As we've mentioned in the Open Letter to SGMERC Members, we will be organizing a special event jointly with Youth Challenge to visit the NorthLight School. The exact format of the event is still being finalized, but we are looking for passionate Merc Owners who will be happy to showcase their pride and joy to the students of NorthLight. Tentatively, the programme will include:

  • Convoy made up of as many Mercs as possible to the school
  • Show & Tell of our cars, especially those with special mods or history
  • Pairing up of students with SGMERC members for a short joy-ride, with a teacher as chaperone

Please put you name down now if you wish to participate in this event:

1. Keltanky

2. Cklasse

3. g8crasher

4. MMB

5. CBlack (tenatative as i might be on trip. will check and confirm)

6. fruitcakepablohoney

7. 9339

8. sy69u

9. C35

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

We are aiming for an impressive convoy of 20 cars to really WOW the kids at NorthLight, so PLEASE SIGN UP ASAP!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Members,

Here is the Main Charity Event for SGMERC for 2008!

This is your chance to put your pride and passion in Mercedes-Benz towards a Good Cause!!

As we've mentioned in the Open Letter to SGMERC Members, we will be organizing a special event jointly with Youth Challenge to visit the NorthLight School. The exact format of the event is still being finalized, but we are looking for passionate Merc Owners who will be happy to showcase their pride and joy to the students of NorthLight. Tentatively, the programme will include:

Convoy made up of as many Mercs as possible to the school

Show & Tell of our cars, especially those with special mods or history

Pairing up of students with SGMERC members for a short joy-ride, with a teacher as chaperone

Please put you name down now if you wish to participate in this event:

1. Keltanky

2. Cklasse

3. g8crasher

4. MMB

5. CBlack (tenatative as i might be on trip. will check and confirm)

6. fruitcakepablohoney

7. 9339

8. sy69u

9. C35

10.dash...just small request...may I request a SYT lady teacher? :tazzie: :swduel: :pray:

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

We are aiming for an impressive convoy of 20 cars to really WOW the kids at NorthLight, so PLEASE SIGN UP ASAP!!!

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Dash...you will get your lady...I have asked her to join. :devil2:

oh ya the 48 year young teacher ya, very friendly lor :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

good for you dash :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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Dear Members,

Here is the Main Charity Event for SGMERC for 2008!

This is your chance to put your pride and passion in Mercedes-Benz towards a Good Cause!!

As we've mentioned in the Open Letter to SGMERC Members, we will be organizing a special event jointly with Youth Challenge to visit the NorthLight School. The exact format of the event is still being finalized, but we are looking for passionate Merc Owners who will be happy to showcase their pride and joy to the students of NorthLight. Tentatively, the programme will include:

Convoy made up of as many Mercs as possible to the school

Show & Tell of our cars, especially those with special mods or history

Pairing up of students with SGMERC members for a short joy-ride, with a teacher as chaperone

Please put you name down now if you wish to participate in this event:

1. Keltanky

2. Cklasse

3. g8crasher

4. MMB

5. CBlack (tenatative as i might be on trip. will check and confirm)

6. fruitcakepablohoney

7. 9339

8. sy69u

9. C35

10. dash

11. Kompressor

12. Jenvid (tentative) [Morning till mid afternoon ok]

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

We are aiming for an impressive convoy of 20 cars to really WOW the kids at NorthLight, so PLEASE SIGN UP ASAP!!!

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Hi folks,

Just my 1 cts worth of comment:

I read with interest on NorthLight School and quote

"we are also planning a joint event with Youth Challenge to pay a special “Mercedes Benz Visit” to the NorthLight School on Nov 8 (Sat). NorthLight is a special education school that helps young kids who have failed their PSLE repeatedly and scored so poorly that they can no longer continue their education anywhere else. Very often, these students come from broken families or are victims of abuse. In Singapore, or anywhere for that matter, once a kid stops education at such a young age, he or she is at great risk of disconnecting from mainstream society and falling into the fringes for the rest of their lives."

I am not privy to the background of the arrangement that has been made, but programme seems a bit out of tangent with the cause.

My view is that we should be inspiring them to work hard/focus because most of us here has 'made it' one way or another. May be we should tell them some life stories of one's personal success so that these kids do not lose faith in themselves and they should have self confidence, determination and grit to hold their heads up and give the society a run for its $

Of course I may be out of whack with the organising committee... but I thought some thing like along these lines may be more appropriate.

I myself fringe a little on the borders of a complicated family and sheer inner strength & die die must breakout of the abyss meant a lot to me in my younger days.

Food for thoughts.

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Guest Cklasse

Good thoughts from Jenvid.

MMB is drafting a program plan and this is what the focus of our visit is supposed to be. To share life experience and to inspire the kids. The Mercedes-Benz is just one tool we are using. At the end of the day, there must be a review for the kids and a lesson to be learned which was emphasized by the principal during our meeting on last Sat.

The rough plan is to showcase the various types of Mercedes-Benz and to talk about Passion, at the same time to show some mechanical stuff because the kids are from Mechanical.

There will be a joy ride for the kids and we will have lunch with them.

We would need some volunteers to talk about their success.

Let's wait for MMB's program draft and we can work from there. Meanwhile, let the ideas come and thanks for the enthusiasm shown.

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Like Jenvid's say, Of course I may be out of whack with the organising committee... but I thought some thing like along these lines may be more appropriate.

Plus.... I think Cash Donation will come in handy for them too . :thumbsup:

So Dear members, i hope each of us can try donating as to help them in maintaining the school and also to buy more teaching equiptment for the children. Coin or Note also ok, Tots that count. :iconsalut:

Comittee, i hope someone will start arranging this Donation. It will the best if we can final this donation before this Sunday meetup or before 8 Nov. :pray:

And just suggest... Do you think we can arrange the donation direct to the children and families ? Cos my point is, most of them i belive comes from a not well to do family. If we can provide the families some finacial help, this will also lessen the burden of this children to the family.

Plus beside donation, i am prepare to give some stationery for them, can i know what kind should i prepare ? Pen, Pensil, Ruler.....

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Guest Cklasse

Thank You 9339 for the kind offer. At this point of time, no money donation is discussed and what we need is the participation of members.

Please be at the meetup on this Sunday and Youth Challenge representatives may be able to shed some light on the charity event and sign up to join us for Nov 6 event.

Will furnish more info here once the Nov 6 event program is drafted. Thank You.

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Can I suggest a wish list when we visit, then we can go back again with the presents which maybe timed nearer to christmas. Then it will not just be a "show" and tell session and more like visit with follow up session?

Just A Thought!!!!

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yes, i think a wish list would be more appropriate.

my company does that to salvation army every year...a wish list is being generated and put up and ppl just buy whats on the wish list and deliver them to the needy folks.

i feel that it might be better than cash donation as adminstration and regulations on handling of funds might be sticky.

just my 2 cents too.... :pray:

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Guest millionmilebenz

Thanks for the enthusiasm and the great ideas!! :clap:

It's really heartening to see such strong response and, as always, the die-hard support from the Active Benzers is truly appreciated.

Jenvid - I totally agree with your point and I shared the same hesitation when first approached about this event for NorthLight. However, after meeting the school team and hearing some of the stories about the kids, I believe this can be more meaningful to the kids than we initially think. Mercedes-Benz the brand and the cars that we'll drive to show the kids are just our tool for drawing their attention and holding their interest, and with these kids, we will certainly need a good tool for that. While we have their attention, we will tell them what makes Mercedes-Benz so great - Quality, Innovation, Passion in what you do. We will also tell them how most of us became owners of these great cars - through Perseverance and Hard Work, and how some of us had to overcome great adversity during our journey too.

Other than "teaching", it's also good for the kids just to get some attention and cheer from outsiders who show an interest in them. Hence the idea of bringing them for a joyride is kept on the programme despite the logistical challenges, simply because none of these kids would have ever sat in a luxury car before and they will be thrilled to experience that.

As Cklasse mentioned, we went to the school this past Sat to observe an event held by Deutsche Bank and to meet with the Principal. Here's the tentative programme based on our meeting that day. The details are still being worked out together with the school, and we will also start to coordinate with those who have signed up to discuss your roles:

08:30-08:45: SGMERC volunteers gather at Kallang McD

08:45-09:00: Convoy to NorthLight School at Dunman Road (very near by)

09:00-09:10: Introductions to school management team, Youth Challenge representatives

09:10-09:30: Orientation by Principal Mrs. Chua to give SGMERC volunteers a better sense of the children's background

09:30-09:35: Transfer to Student Activity Room for SGMERC presentation

09:35-09:45: Introduction by Principal to emphasize to students the objectives of the session

09:45-10:05: Presentation by SGMERC - "What Makes Mercedes-Benz So Great?"

10:05-10:30: "How We Came to Own A Mercedes-Benz?" Self-Introductions by selected SGMERC members

10:30-10:40: Transfer to car-park where the MERC's are, break up into 3 small groups with ~10 students each

10:40-11:10: Show & Tell on "How Does a Car Work?", to be conducted by 3 selected SGMERC teams (keep in mind the students will be from the mechanical stream, aged ~14 to 16)

11:10-11:15: Organize into 5 Car Teams (1 SGMERC member, 1 teacher, 3 students)

11:15-11:30: Joyride Batch 1 (tentative route - Dunman, Tanjong Katong Road, ECP, Marina South Exit (turnaround), ECP, Fort Road, Kallang McD)

11:30-11:45: Transfer back to School, loading of Batch 2

11:45-12:00: Joyride Batch 2

Concurrently: SGMERC members not participating in Joyride will gather at Kallang McD to meet students from 1st Joyride

12:00-13:00: Lunch at Kallang McD

13:00-13:30: Transfer back to school, de-briefing of students by Principal

** The joyride is limited to 5 cars because of the school's requirement to have a teacher inside each car. There will only be a maximum of 5 teachers available as chaperones on that day.

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Guest millionmilebenz

A few more points:

a. Monetary Donations

At this point we have not discussed collecting any monetary donations for the school. From what we've seen while touring the school, they are very well funded by the government. You'll be impressed with the facilities that they have! However, as 9339 pointed out, it is the students and the families that are most in need.

One possibility is to set-up a SGMERC Donation Fund for NorthLight. After we collect the funds, the school decides which students will benefit from it either by merit (e.g. good grades), by need, or some other criteria.

b. Students' Wish List

This is an excellent idea! We will raise it to the Principal along with the Donation Fund to see what they think. Please bear in mind that the school still have the ultimate say in what can / cannot be done. They do this only in the best interest of the students.

c. Event Participation by SGMERC members

Based on the tentative format of the event, I don't think we will need to have a lot of cars. Certainly, if we can bring a convoy of 20 Mercedes-Benz to the school, that will be an awesome sight and I'm sure the students will be very happy. It is a show of our sincerity and our interest in them, and for these kids, that means a lot more than you and I can imagine.

* Note - even though we're pitching this event as a Mercedes-Benz event, we welcome members who are not driving a Merc to join us. However, please don't feel offended if your car is not chosen to be the "showcase" during the hands-on Show & Tell session.

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Guest millionmilebenz

IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE OTHER CHARITY-FOCUS EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING THIS SUN - OCT 26

VISIT FROM YOUTH CHALLENGE TO OUR MONTHLY GET-TOGETHER!

Hope to see many of you there! :clap:

If you're coming, please put down your name at the Monthly Get-Together Thread so we have a better idea how many people will show up. Thanks!

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Guest millionmilebenz

Just a few more things I'll like to share... take-away points that I noted down from Sat's meeting at the school:

  • Each intake of students into NorthLight represent the bottom 0.5% of the PSLE cohort
  • 69% of the students come from low wage worker families (< $1,000 in household income)
  • Many students dread the long school vacations because they can't escape from the troubling circumstances at home (whatever they may be)

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Guest millionmilebenz

Guys, sorry if there was confusion on the event. My bad! :iconsalut:

To reiterate:

  • We will NOT be collecting monetary donations for the school on Nov 8
  • We will be meeting and spending time with the kids to motivate them

I've been busy and hence not as fast in posting up the details on this event. When first approached about this event with NorthLight, I also only had a vague idea of how we can best contribute. But now that we've visited the school and met with the Principal, we have come up with a programme that should provide for a memorable and meaningful experience for the kids at NorthLight. However, the details of the plan still needs to be confirmed so please bear with us as we finalize the programme with the school and Youth Challenge.

I have worked out a tentative assignment of the roles and I will PM all the members who have kindly put down their names as volunteers.

In the mean time, PLEASE SIGN UP IF YOU'RE KEEN TO MAKE THESE KIDS SMILE BY SHOWING THAT SOMEONE CARES ABOUT THEM!

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