#RaleighPassItOn featuring Dorothy Ng

Find out how Dorothy Ng began volunteering with Raleigh Singapore. Besides Raleigh, she has also been involved with other NGOs, including contributing her art works to raise funds for charity.

Q. Who introduced you to Raleigh Singapore?

My university friend (I’ll just call her “A”) introduced me to Raleigh probably more than a decade ago. She was helping out Rakan Raleigh as a mentor. This was a six-month mentorship programme, led by a group of working professionals who wanted to impart life skills to teens from Jamiyah Children's Home through adventure.

As we had backpacked together, she knew that I was into camping and roped me in for their camping trip on Pulau Ubin. From there, I joined a few other programmes, including a community outreach event at an home for underprivileged elderly residents in Tampines. It was great fun. I was then invited to help out for Let's Take A Walk in the 2000s.

Q. Share a memorable experience volunteering with Raleigh.

One of the most memorable experiences was when I was organising my first Let's Take A Walk (LTAW). It was a hectic time; I spent many hours preparing the website, media pitches, publicity matters. I hardly watched TV that year. When everyone came together for a shared vision and purpose, somehow magic happens. I remember receiving a random call from a masseur who'd learnt about our event and suggested rallying a group of foot massage therapists to provide free massages for walkers at the 50km checkpoint in Tampines. We made it happen, which was amazing.

In another edition, I managed to get the National Museum of Singapore as our flag-off and end point, thanks to my ex-colleagues, Angelita and May Khuen who were running the museum as Directors. We had another memorable 50km night flag-off at Singapore Turf Club thanks to another ex-museum colleague, Choon Kiat who was working there then. We decorated the entire place with blue and silver balloons and my lovely friends, Tian and Kaylin and their friends generously shared their musical talents by strumming their guitar and singing to cheer the walkers on. Being able to connect the dots and getting the pieces of the puzzle together, and successfully raising funds for the beneficiaries we support made it all worthwhile.

Q. Who have you introduced Raleigh to?

Outside of work, I also volunteer with Central CDC as a District Councillor. When I was organising Let's Take A Walk, I reached out to Central CDC Mayor Denise Phua to invite her to be our Guest of Honour. She graciously agreed and did so for several editions. She even brought her own loudhailer and stool for the second time as she remembered our PA system malfunctioned in the past. I've helped to pitch stories to radio stations, newspapers and magazines, to get our beneficiaries and Organising Committee Members to share more about Let's Take A Walk and the good work done by the various NGOs we supported as beneficiaries, such as Boys' Town, MINDS, Caregivers’ Alliance and Rare Disorder Society. I've also shared these projects with my work associates and colleagues and rallied colleagues and friends to support the walk as walkers.

Q. Any last thoughts to share?

I’ve been involved in several editions of Let's Take A Walk, taking care of media and publicity. I’ve also volunteered for two of the Project Chulia Street outreach events for migrant workers. The volunteers that I befriended through Raleigh felt like kindred spirits. Though we all come from different backgrounds and professions, we all shared the common interest to pay it forward and to do our part to make a difference in society. Quite a few of them have become lifelong friends, which I'm grateful for, and we still volunteer together for the causes that we feel passionate about.

P.S. Read about Dorothy's experience helping out in Let's Take A Walk 2022 as a Checkpoint I/C here.