THE 84TH SINGAPORE COMPANY, the newest company of The Girls’ Brigade (GB) Singapore, was formed in January this year, basing itself in Singapore Chinese Girls’ School (SCGS). Barker Road Methodist Church became its sponsoring church without hesitation.
After a recruitment drive, 54 girls made history as the 84th Company’s very first batch of recruits. Since then, they have had the privilege of naming their own squads (they chose names of gemstones), designing the company T-shirt and deciding what they would like to cover for badge work.
The company has had many learning and serving opportunities in line with the 2011- 2012 theme for GB Singapore as well as the 84th Company, which is: “Living with Understanding and Compassion”.
After just a few weeks of company meetings in Term 1, the company’s first national event was the GB Flag Day. On March 5, the GB Girls enthusiastically stationed themselves strategically along Orchard Road and around the Bugis area to collect funds to support national activities. It was a new experience for many of them but their bright smiles contributed to the largest collection ever for the GB Flag Day.
Upon hearing about the disasters in Japan, the 84th Company Girls wanted to do their bit to raise funds for the victims. is they did by folding origami dolls and selling them to their friends during recess as well as during SCGS’ Family Aces Day on May 14. For their efforts, they raised almost $400 which has been sent to the Singapore Red Cross Society.
Immediately after the June holidays, 20 of the 84th Company Girls were involved in the inaugural GB Friendship Day. e GB Friendship Day is slated to be an annual event where all GB Girls and officers reach out to serve the less fortunate. e motto was “Two Hands, One Heart” and they partnered with Willing Hearts, a charity that cooks for the needy daily.
On July 9, girls and officers of GB Singapore cooked for and hosted 1,000 needy elderly at GB Headquarters (GBHQ) in Upper Serangoon Road. The First Lady, Mrs S. R. Nathan, who is the Patron of GB Singapore, was the Guest-of- Honour. e 84th Company stayed over at GBHQ on July 8 to prepare the food and decorate centrepieces for 130 tables. ey cooked not only for the 1,000 elderly, but also for the 900 GB girls and officers at the event. All this with a cheerful heart!
GB Day was celebrated on July 11. The 84th Company Girls donned their full GB uniform and took centre stage at flag-raising in school. is also marked the beginning of GB’s annual fund-raising event, the GB Fortnight. e funds collected went towards subsidising the Girls’ activities and programmes.
GB Singapore was started in 1927 in the Methodist Girls’ School and has grown to more than 80 companies with more than 4,000 Girls in both the Primary and Secondary schools. e mission of GB Singapore is to develop each Girl and officer to her fullest potential by equipping, empowering and enabling her towards the dream of “Every Girl A Leader, Every Officer A Servant-Leader”.
Evangeline Chong is the Officer-in-Charge of the 84th Singapore Company Girls’ Brigade and also serves at GB Headquarters as Deputy Brigade Commissioner, as well as in the 1st Singapore Company GB. She worships at Barker Road Methodist Church.