On April 13, 2024, the Anglo-Chinese Schools Foundation (ACSF) hosted a fund-raising dinner to celebrate the foundation’s 13 years of serving the ACS family. Six directors of the Foundation and their 69 guests spent a companionable evening at the Shangri-la Hotel, entertained by the singing of ACJC students, Leah Faith Doraisamy and Martha Marie Lim accompanied by Javier Lim on keyboard and their teacher Mori Toshiyuki, who enlivened the occasion with a delightful musical repertoire. The occasion was not simply a fundraiser to benefit needy students in our ACS schools, but also a family dinner to amplify, underline and encourage the continuing collaboration of our students, staff, alumni and volunteers.
Apart from the performances, there were also presentations of foundation work by ACS Foundation Chairman, Mr Cheo Chai Hong, and heart-warming video testimonies by students who had benefited from the Lim Teow Lin bursaries. The video testimonies were put together by the staff and students of ACS (Barker Road).
Throughout the evening, there was also a silent auction of artworks by the late great Mr Lim Teow Lin, who had taught for many years at ACS and ACJC. The signature on the items that were auctioned was unmistakable and indelibly ACSian. We are grateful for the help we received from ACS (Barker Road) Vice-Principal Mrs Aw Meng Yin and her operations team in the handling of the paintings for the auction. Apart from the paintings, also on auction were customised ACS Nike Air Presto Shoes, donated by Mr Richard Seow, a director from the ACS Foundation. Most of the auction items were purchased by our generous guests that evening. The fundraising dinner event raised over $200,000 for the ACS Foundation. Most importantly, the evening was a gathering of the ACS family, not only to bond over a sumptuous dinner but also to give back to the ACS family and through the family, to the wider society.
The Foundation aims to centralise the philanthropic efforts of the ACS family. By consolidating our efforts centrally, we believe we can better uphold our heritage and continue the tradition of the ACS spirit. Donations received through this dinner will equip us to provide financial assistance to current students, support carefully chosen programmes at ACS schools, and strengthen the ONE ACS spirit through combined educational and community initiatives. The Foundation hopes to preserve the tradition of loyalty and service by promoting and facilitating the ACS family’s goals in educational, spiritual and social responsibility, and making a positive impact on the community.
In the past 13 years, more than 10,000 students in our ACS schools in Singapore have benefited from funding programmes and other assistance offered and will continue to do so by God’s grace. With ACS having been approved to start a Special Needs School, our funding requirements will certainly need to be enhanced and future fundraising would be required, to bring this long-cherished vision into reality.
The ACS Foundation stands ready to do its part to bring this to fruition and hopes that the many concerted and continuing fundraising efforts will further strengthen the bond of the ACS family. Finally, we would like to thank Ms. Irene Hoe for her assistance in the editing of this article.
To God be the Glory. The Best is Yet To Be.
