Big Walk 2011: Walk with the family

TNP PICTURE: Kelvin Chng

THEIR walk down the aisle started at The New Paper Big Walk@Resorts World Sentosa 2011.

Civil servant Chris Lim, 26, wanted to celebrate his love for his girlfriend of almost three years.

Knees wobbly, not from the 4km walk but from nerves, he popped the question in front of thousands of other Big Walk participants at Siloso Beach yesterday.

He proposed to Ms Linda Lim, 23, at the end point of the walk, with a little help from the event organisers.

Mr Lim had consulted the organisers one month before the Big Walk to come up with the Big Plan for his proposal.

The plan: The emcees would announce the "winners" of a lucky draw, and Ms Lim's registration number would be called.

It worked well.

True to the plan, an unsuspecting Ms Lim was called to the stage by the emcees and asked to close her eyes.

Moments later, she opened them to see Mr Lim on bended knee with a bouquet of 26 roses – their first date was on Jan 26, 2009.

Mr Lim then took out the wedding ring and proposed.

A microphone was handed to Ms Lim by the emcees and she replied "yes" to a cheering crowd before sharing a kiss with an elated Mr Lim.

Ms Lim, a personal assistant, told TNP that she was "very surprised" and that she had not expected the proposal.

She said: "Chris is a responsible man...and I know he will take good care of me."

Mr Lim candidly admitted that it was a "burden lifted off his shoulders".

He said: "I was very nervous, but thankfully, the event organisers and five of my friends helped make this proposal happen.

"We've been through a lot of ups and downs, so I thought that proposing after the Big Walk would be an ideal moment.

"After all, life is like a journey that the both of us will walk together."

Mr Lim also booked the Amara Sanctuary Resort for two nights so that the couple could take time off their busy schedules to be together right after the Big Walk.

He said that they have applied for an HDB flat in Punggol, adding that he was planning to marry Ms Lim in about two years' time, after they get the keys to their flat.

Mr Lim isn't the first man to propose to his girlfriend at the Big Walk.

The last time it happened was in 2002, when an army regular whipped out a ring for his love.

Yesterday's Big Walk attracted 18,000 participants.
For many, passing through Universal Studios Singapore was a highlight.

Young couples like Miss Genevieve Phua, 21, and Mr Kelvin Chen, 24, were out enjoying their first trip to the Studios.

Said Miss Phua, a student: "We signed up for the Walk the moment we knew about it!"

They were there with family, but seemed not to mind having lost them in the crowd.

Different generations mingled at the Walk as well: Mr Lee Kin Choy, 70, was seen helping his 14-month old grandson along.
He had come with his wife and his son's family, including two grandsons.

They are avid walkers and exercise almost daily at the Botanic Gardens or in the parks around their Newton home.

Said Mr Lee: "It's a change of scenery for us. It's been interesting so far and definitely very healthy for everybody."

Not far from the Walk's end point of Siloso Beach, Tenet Insurance had combined the Big Walk with Family Day festivities at Wave House.

Chief executive officer Stella Tan, 55, said it was the firm's first outdoor family day.

Said Nicole Goh, 11, who was at the surfing wave pool with her father and two older brothers: "It's my first time surfboarding, and it's tough. But very fun!"

Check out our mega-gallery of the Big Walk here.