“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
(1 Peter 4:10)
At an age where most people are spending time with their grandchildren or travelling around the world, 86-year-old Chew Eng Bong has been busy cycling around Singapore to do his part for charity. Recently, he completed a 57km route to raise funds to benefit the residents of MWS Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang, one of the centres under the care of Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) that offers round-the-clock residential care to the chronically ill and frail. Eng Bong did this as a member of Connecting Cycling Superstars (CCS), a group of passionate silver-generation cyclists who have been volunteering at the Home since 2017.
CCS volunteers like Eng Bong have been unable to engage the senior residents as they used to due to COVID-19 restrictions. Still wanting to make a difference in the lives of CCA residents, he and the other group members initiated a fund-raising campaign called “Love on Wheels” to raise funds for the Home’s care remodelling project, which involves transforming the Home into a more home-like, dementia-friendly environment.
On 8 Aug 2020, 40 CCS members, including Eng Bong, decided to cycle a 57-km loop from the MWS Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang, passing by CT Hub building at Kallang where the MWS Home Care & Home Hospice office is located, MWS Christalite Methodist Home and MWS Nursing Home – Yew Tee. Eng Bong, or “Ah Mun” as he is known to his friends, personally clocked over 100km as he cycled not just the fund-raising distance, but also from his home in Ang Mo Kio to the nursing home at Choa Chu Kang and the return trip home.
Combining passions
Eng Bong used to be a mechanic, and had always kept himself active by repairing damaged appliances and refurbishing old furniture. He took up cycling about a decade ago to keep fit, meet people and make friends. For years, he had been trying to join a cycling group but struggled to do most cater to a younger age group and are English speaking—Eng Bong speaks mainly Mandarin and dialects. So when he heard about CCS through a local newspaper, he decided to connect with them. With CCS’ make-up of seniors like himself, he found it easier to make friends and enjoy the fellowship.
Before COVID-19, Eng Bong had been volunteering regularly at MWS Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang for the last three years to chat, play mobility-enhancing games and sing karaoke with residents. Volunteering helps others his age stay active and meaningfully engaged in the community. He explained: “I find purpose in helping other seniors. I want seniors to recognise the importance of staying active, both in mind and body. I also want to encourage fellow seniors with my life story.”.
Eng Bong encourages seniors to help other seniors, as he has. He shares: “I find it easy to talk to the seniors and enjoy it very much. If you have the time to do it, you should. We should always help others who are in need.”
Keen to volunteer with MWS? Whether you are an individual, group or corporate team, we have a varied list of remote volunteering opportunities at our various centres. Find out more at mws.sg/volunteer or scan the QR code. If you want to get involved in other ways, email us at volunteer@mws.sg.
By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photos courtesy of MWS