The YMCA Ipoh held a fundraising dinner for Ray of Hope at the New She Lai Ton Restaurant recently. The turn-up was good as all 80 tables were taken. In attendance were Rt. Rev. Datuk Ng Moon Hing, the Bishop of the Diocese of West Malaysia, Dato’ Daniel Tay, President of YMCA and other dignitaries with Dato’ Ngeh Koo Han as the Guest of Honour. After the usual speeches, diners were entertained by the Evergreen Band and students of Ray of Hope with music and songs from the ‘60s.
Fund raising, as always, is about ringgit and sens and this event was no different. A total of over RM8000 was collected on the spot through table collections. On top of that, a sum of over RM153,000 from donations had been received surpassing the RM134,770 presented to the Chairman of Ray of Hope, in the form of a mock cheque, earlier in the night. This shows that Ipoh, well known for its rich towkays in its heyday, has not lost its lustre completely.
Ipohites, in general, may not have pockets full of tin but they sure do possess hearts full of gold. A ray of hope is finally shining down on this organisation as its Chairman, Datin Mary Yeoh, had hinted that their coffers are depleting due to dwindling public donations. The function is indeed a timely and God-sent blessing to them for their tireless efforts in caring for people with learning disabilities.
SH Ong
