Centre for Fathering honouring dads with month-long campaign
Former actor Collin Chee, 51, is known for acting in local serials like Dr Justice and That Moment In Time.
He competed in the 1993/1994 edition of local talent show Star Search, in which fans voted for their favourite contestants.
Though he did not make the final cut of 10, Mr Chee had his fans - chief of all his father, Mr Stephen Chee, now 79.
At the time, the then aspiring actor was not aware his father had bought almost a thousand magazines to get the voting slips so he and his friends could support his son.
An emotional Mr Chee told The New Paper at a Centre for Fathering (CFF) event yesterday that he found out when he discovered the magazines in his father's home in 2015 after returning from Indonesia, where he worked in marketing for six years.
Revealing he would buy up to 10 magazines at a time, Mr Stephen Chee said: "Though I could not see Collin much as I was working long hours, I wanted to support his dreams."
Mr Chee said: "I blamed myself for not trying to understand him more."
The father and son were at the CFF premises on Woodlands Road for the launch of Celebrating Fathers, a month-long campaign ending on Father's Day on June 17.
CFF is a non-profit organisation that promotes father-child bonding.
For the first time, the activities will include grandfathers.
Mr Chee has managed CFF's football team and served as one of the some 100 CFF ambassadors for more than two years.
He has two sons and two daughters, aged from 16 to 21.
He tries to be their friend.
"I followed my son when he got his first tattoo of a compass and even suggested some modifications to replace the cardinal points with four core values," said Mr Chee.
The CFF is part of a broader movement called Dads for Life to help fathers be positive role models for their children.
Upcoming activities include a jungle walk on May 27, an overnight camp on June 16 and a carnival on Father's Day.
CFF chief executive officer Bryan Tan, 42, told TNP that Celebrating Fathers was deliberately timed to start right after Mother's Day.
He added: "Our current programmes mostly cater to the first 20 years of the child's life, and we would like to explore initiatives that support fathers for the next 20 years of their child's life."
Mr Wee Boon Choon, 63, a CFF associate trainer who conducts parenting workshops, said: "Children yearn to spend time with their dads from Primary 1 to 3.
"Those are the good years, so don't miss out on them."
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