Fate has mysterious ways of bringing people together. Here’s one such story that makes our hearts all warm and fuzzy.
Meet our long-term volunteer Steven Liew, who shared with us his journey with Singapore Children’s Society and how he met one of our staff at our Convalescent Home (now known as Sunbeam Place) who eventually became his wife.
During their wedding day, the couple even made a special visit to the Convalescent Home to share their special day with the staff and residents!
Steven and his wife Betty posing for a photo with the Convalescent Home residents on their wedding day. The Children’s Society logo at the Home was also painted by Steven.
Do you remember when you first started volunteering at Sunbeam Place (known as Convalescent Home back then)?
I started volunteering at the Convalescent Home at Keramat Road in 1982. The residents were invited by my army camp for our unit’s anniversary celebrations and after that, I made my first visit to the Home.
Steven Liew carrying one of our residents back in the days
Why did you decide to offer your photography services to our Home? Are you a professional photographer?
Photography is my hobby. Back then, I was the official photographer for my camp. I noticed that the Home did not have a dedicated photographer. I decided to volunteer my time to help them capture special moments for their events.
Capturing special memories –these are some of the many photographs Steven took for the various events at the Home in the 1980s
Tell us the story of how you met your wife at our Home! How did you know she was the one?
We met at the Home where she worked as a housemother. We saw each other quite often at the Home when I was there to photograph events. I would also visit the Home over the weekends with cartoon videotapes for the children to watch. You could say I was using these visits to also get a chance to see her and perhaps get to know her better! Several years later, I asked her out for dinner and movies. Eventually, we got married in 1988 and that was when she stopped working at the Home as well.
A photo of the couple taken in 2023
Are you still volunteering at Sunbeam Place?
Occasionally, I still volunteer at Sunbeam Place to photograph their events such as the President’s visit to the Home, Children’s Day Carnival and Talent Night. I also helped to photograph the Society’s other events like Flag Day and Tribute to Volunteers.
Share with us some memorable moments at Sunbeam Place.
It was always very heart-warming to watch the children grow up, and then later in life, you bump into them on the streets! They grow up so fast that I can’t recognise them until they call me . One memorable moment was when I bought an insurance policy from one of them. I was also invited to his wedding. I clearly remember that during one of the Christmas parties organised by the Home, this boy surprised me and my wife by running up to us and giving me a hug. He was only 7 years old then!
Thank you Uncle Steven for your dedication over the years and for touching so many lives!
If you’re reading this article and interested in volunteering with us to make an impact on the lives of our beneficiaries, do visit this page for more info.
#Didyou know Sunbeam Place @ Children’s Society is a residential home and gazetted place of safety for children who have been abused and neglected and are in need of protection, or whose parents are unable to provide proper care. First built at the Changi beachfront in the 1950s, it relocated to Keramat Road from the 1970s before moving to its current location at Hong San Terrace, Choa Chu Kang in 2006. The Centre provides a home-like and loving environment for children and youth aged between 2 and 21 years. We prepare our beneficiaries and their families for reunification through casework and counselling. For those who are unable to reunite with their families, Sunbeam Place @ Children’s Society provides a wide range of programmes to develop their strengths and skills to help facilitate a smoother transition when beneficiaries are discharged from the Centre and on their own as young adults.
Click here to read the story in Chinese.
请点击此处阅读中文版本
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