Winner donates prize to charity

He won a $900 OWL Coffee hamper last month after making a $2 donation to the OWL-TNP charity drive in celebration of OWL's 59th anniversary.

The charity drive, which gave away goodie bags containing a box of OWL coffee and a copy of The New Paper, was a joint project by TNP and OWL.

In return, members of the public were encouraged to donate any amount they wished, with the proceeds going to Project Helping Hands, a joint charity project by TNP, Lions Befrienders Service Association and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

The project aims to help elderly people who live alone.

Instead of keeping the hamper, comprising 59 packets of OWL coffee and 59 toast sets at Owl Cafe, Mr Kua Khim Siang donated his prize to Lions Befrienders.

The 30-year-old auditor said: "My company adopted a beneficiary earlier this year and it happened to be Lions Befrienders, so I was aware of what they do for the elderly.

"So I decided to donate my hamper, as the elderly probably need it more than I do."

Lions Befrienders is a welfare organisation that helps elderly folk who are at least 60 years old and at risk of social isolation and either have no next-of-kin or receive limited support from their children.

The majority of seniors helped by Lions Befrienders live in one- or two-room rental flats.

OUTREACH

About 1,000 volunteers are trained to conduct home visits to befriend these lonely seniors.

As part of its outreach service, Lions Befrienders has six senior activity centres that engage seniors in various meaningful activities as well.

Lions Befrienders executive director Dr Chey Chor Khoon said: "It is a very good initiative that corporations are stepping up to help the seniors."

The OWL-TNP charity drive, now into its fifth year, raised $20,000 this year - the largest amount raised since the partnership began.

The charity drive raised $6,900 last year and $8,000 in 2013.

OWL's brand manager Joie Wong said: "A well-known daily newspaper, TNP is popular with PMEBs (professionals, managers, executives and businessmen) who are interested in sports, lifestyle and local breaking news.

"As OWL's main target audience are PMEBs, we have found our partnership with TNP to be greatly effective in helping our brand reach out to them.

"We have enjoyed working with TNP in our past collaborations and this partnership is certainly something that we will consider when we work on our 2016 marketing budget."