Ubin Retreat

Yesterday, Team NINE headed over to Pulau Ubin for a short retreat. The purpose was not only to continue our planning for the entire trip, but also to spend some time together as a team to bond.

The rustic environment was certainly an escape for the hustle and bustle of mainland Singapore. While the long meeting on Saturday afternoon seemed like a slow start to the retreat, the walk along Chek Jawa afterwards was an energizing experience and I'm sure there isn't a single one of us who didn't enjoy the seafood dinner on Ubin. The evening was followed by a sharing session, which personally, I feel was the most important part of the retreat.

Despite the few setbacks we've become aware of, reflecting together with everyone and spending that one night in semi wilderness has given me a newfound burst of energy and enthusiasm to push the last stretch to the trip to finish off what we've started. And I hope the rest of Team NINE feel the same way too.





Ash
On behalf of P&P Team NINE

OCBC Cycle Singapore

On Sunday, 22end Feb, five members of Team NINE, Hui Qun, Huiwen, Hansel, Cheryl and myself, headed over to the F1 track beside the Singapore flyer to begin our day as volunteers for the first ever cycling event in Singapore.



The OCBC Cycle Singapore was an exciting event that we were all honoured to be a part of. Although the hours were grueling since most of us had not slept since the previous day, it was an amazing experience nonetheless. We even managed to bump into fellow Niner Edmund, a cyclist enthusiast and were fortunate enough to witness some amazing hand cyclists who managed to cross the finish lines with timing comparable to those of the able-bodied cyclists.

While it was a difficult $100 to earn for Team NINE, it was also an experience that money cannot make up for. However, Team NINE still hopes it will be a good beginning our canvassing efforts! (:

Dinner with Pastor Michael Christian

On the 13th of February, Team NINE finally had the opportunity to meet Pastor Michael Christian. He is the director of Tomorrow's Hope Orphange at Nias. We had dinner with him and were given time to present our project to the Pastor to seek his views on our planned trip. While most of the activities we planned on conducting in Nias were given the green light, the Pastor also requested that we help in preparing the soil for agricultural use and building a chicken coop to rear about a thousand chickens there so that the people can be taught to be self sufficient.



We were also given the opportunity to enquire about Nias and the conditions there. It's safe to say that while the orphanage itself may be quite modernized, the conditions and circumstances there is going to be hardly what we are used to here in Singapore. It's important that we mentally prepare ourselves for the trip.







In all, the interaction was a critical one to help us get a better picture of the necessity for Team NINE to do as much as possible to impact the lives of the children at Tomorrow's Hope and the people in Nias.

Pictures Overdue

As promised, here are some pictures of Megafest 2009 on the 10th of February.



It was a slow start to the evening. Our stall was set up but because we didn't display the cakes at the stall, it was initialy hrd to get people to buy our cakes.







Word must have spread though. Before long, we were breaking a sweat running back and forth between the booth and the canteen to get the cakes to the buyers. In addition, with thanks to SBS Club for buying 3 of the 10 cakes we had, we sold out by the end of the night! (:


Barry being the perfect display model.





It was a good day for Team NINE that ended with a team supper. Keep on going for our other canvassing jobs, people. June's coming soon! (:

Dear Team NINE,

The path we've chosen to take is a rocky one thus far. And we know that we might still face more obstacles to come until we actually fly off to Nias in June. However, it doesn't discharge the fact that in spite of everything, all of us have been doing our best to work towards our goal. Everyone's efforts are much appreciated! As a team, we're always going to be supporting each other, so 加油 everyone! Keep your heads held high. (:

"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit."
~ Unknown

<3
P&P

Mega Success

Hi everyone!

For those who helped man the stall during Hall 9's very own Megafest and served the cakes, thank you very, very much! It was a difficult process since we'd forgotten about the refrigerating issue. Nonetheless, the Secret Recipe cakes were a smashing success!

Anyone and everyone who bought our cakes, thank you for your effort towards our canvassing!

P&P apologises that the pictures will not be ready yet. (Of all weeks, this week Ash forgot her camera charger.)

Have a good Valentine's weekend ahead! (:

<3
P&P

Team Nine is well on its way to gearing up for the trip in June. With letters sent out to potential sponsors, we've so far gotten a few companies who're interested and had to send out our official logo and tee shirt designs. It remains to be seen whether we'll have a sole sponsor or many small ones.

In other news, the trip itself has been confirmed for the 11-24 June 2009. The advance party consisting of Chairman Matthew, Vice-Chairman Fang Xiang, Chief Programmer Kah Wee, Asst Welfare I/C Sihui, Logistics & Asst Logistics I/Cs Hansel and Cui Xia and Senior Hall Fellow Prof Heng, however, will set off on the 8th of June.

Ex Officials from the Hall 9 15th JCRC will also be joining Team Nine for the trip. They're our very own Publications Sec Jeanette Lim, Asst. Sports Sec Nigel D'Cruz and President Mike Kho.

With the need for funds a very pressing issue, any opportunity to raise funds is welcome with open arms. Which is why members of Team Nine are actively involving themselves in canvassing opportunities. Some of us will be volunteering at OCBC Cycle Singapore 2009 on the 22nd of February. Others will be taking part in a final year project by students of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information to earn money to contribute to our fund. There's also going to be a donation box set up at the drinks stall in Can9 to raise awareness about our worthy cause.

Lastly, but most important of all, Team Nine will alos be seeting up a stall at Hall 9 annual Megafest on the 10th of February. We will be selling cakes from Secret Recipe at very affordable prices. Do come down to lend us your support! (: