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Great Eastern staff turn car washers for charityGreat Eastern staff raise more than $60,000 for Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund

Senior management and staff from insurance company Great Eastern rolled up their sleeves and washed cars on Saturday (July 14), raising more than $60,000 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF).

The initiative marks the first anniversary of the rebranding of Great Eastern General Insurance and Great Eastern's 110th anniversary.

A carnival is being held alongside the carwash for 130 beneficiaries of STSPMF and their families. Activities include games, face painting, balloon sculpting and a magic show.

The event, held at Dempsey Hill, near Holland Road, started at 9.30am and will end at 6pm.

A total of 170 volunteers from Great Eastern, including group chief executive Khor Hock Seng and managing director of general and group insurance of Great Eastern General Insurance, Mr Jimmy Tong, are washing the cars of people who purchased car wash packages, which range from $30 to $1,100.

Said Mr Tong: "STSPMF deserves our strong support and we are delighted to raise $60,000 to help needy students from low-income families supported by the fund."

In March, Great Eastern held another event, the Great Eastern Community Shield, which also raised $171,000 for the fund.

So far, more than $231,000 has been raised for the STSPMF by Great Eastern volunteers this year.

One of the volunteers at Saturday's event, Ms Geraldine Ang, an assistant vice-president with Great Eastern General Insurance, said: "We hope that with the funds raised, beneficiaries need not worry about basic daily school expenses, and instead focus their energies fully on doing well in school."

Straits Times news editor Marc Lim received the cheque on behalf of the fund.

The fund was started in 2000 as a community project initiated by The Straits Times to provide pocket money to children from low-income families to help them through school.

It has since helped more than 160,000 children and youth.

Said Karis Lee, 12, a beneficiary of STSPMF: "The event is very lively. I can spend time with my brother and help him win some prizes."

Another beneficiary, Daim 'Iffat, seven, said: "The event is very fun as I can play games. I enjoy playing games with my family."

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