“We didn’t realise we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.” – Winnie the Pooh 

This year, Azalea’s Community Service Day brought together seniors from St Vincent Home (SVH), youths with special needs from Hearts@Work (H@W) and families in need of social assistance for a Christmas wreath-making workshop.  

Photo: Azalea volunteers working hand-in-hand with beneficiaries

The morning began with all of us gathering around tables filled with festive ribbons, pinecones and decorative flowers which were impressively spruced up by the SVH residents in the spirit of sustainability. Working in pairs and hand-in-hand, we set about weaving bright, colourful fabric contributed by the Arab Street textile merchants into bare wire frames.  

Learning a new craft is not easy! Communication is key and each pair found their own unique way of communicating with one another – in Mandarin, dialect, Singlish and even sign language. Laughter and encouragement filled the room as we made mistakes along the way.  There was no shortage of banter and camaraderie as stories were traded while our creations took shape. 

Photo: Azalea volunteers and beneficiaries showing off their masterpieces

After the handiwork activity, we sat down to enjoy a hearty lunch and old school ice-cream. The highlight of the afternoon was a lively karaoke session led by the beneficiaries themselves where classic tunes filled the hall. It was heartening to see how food, music and great company could rekindle old memories and stories from the past.    

We would like to thank the SVH seniors, H@W trainees and families who came with such joyful and open hearts. As Singapore celebrates SG60 and Azalea celebrates our 10th anniversary, we are reminded of the importance of social connection and inclusion to build community and nation.