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Eco race raises $27k for Pocket Money Fund

It was not a question of how many people it would take to change a light bulb but rather how much energy it would take to light one up for an hour - 0.06kWh - at a green charity race yesterday.

More than 370 people gathered in the Central Business District yesterday to take part in the CapitaLand Commercial Trust (CCT) Eco Race, raising $27,120 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF).

They raced between landmarks like Ann Siang Hill and CapitaLand buildings, such as Capital Tower and CapitaGreen, and had to answer questions on the environment, like the one about the light bulb.

Finishing first was a team from the Economic Development Board, while teams from JP Morgan and Fitness First jointly clinched second place. The three teams won prizes worth a total of about $8,000.

CapitaLand Group’s philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, matched registration fees dollar-for-dollar and donated $10 per kilometre per participant for every team that pledged to complete the 6km race.

It also encouraged its tenants to adopt SPMF coin banks which will be placed in their offices. All contributions will be tallied before Gifts Of Joy in December, CCT's annual effort to help underprivileged children, with the foundation matching donations up to $10,000.

Partnering SPMF for the race allows CCT to synergise its corporate-giving efforts "to create a bigger impact for children from underprivileged families", said CCT Management's chief executive officer Lynette Leong.

Ms Tan Bee Heong, SPMF general manager, said: "Not only will funds be raised to help our children with their school pocket money, CCT's kind gesture of fulfilling 650 wishes of beneficiaries this year-end during Gifts Of Joy will bring much cheer to them during the festive season."

Started in 2000 by The Straits Times, the SPMF is a registered charity supporting about 14,000 children and youth from low-income families yearly. It has since disbursed almost $50 million, helping more than 140,000 youngsters.

The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.