Local celebrities like Kim Lim and Rui En pitching in to help give out care packages amid coronavirus outbreak - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - When Singaporean socialite Kim Lim spoke to fellow volunteers from a local charity group, she was dismayed by the number of scammers using the coronavirus outbreak to exploit others.

Several volunteers had ordered hand sanitisers and masks online only to receive packages of "liquids with no anti-bacterial functions" and "pieces of paper".

As Lim knew that senior citizens were especially vulnerable to illness yet may not be able to obtain such protective items, she began thinking of ways to help.

The 28-year-old managed to secure some 1,000 hand sanitisers from suppliers of her healthcare company Illumia Medical and Therapeutics.

She gathered a team of around 30 staff members and close friends to pack the hand sanitisers with wet wipes, Dettol soap bottles, biscuits and a pamphlet containing useful information on the coronavirus and hygiene tips.

They rose early on Sunday (Feb 23) to distribute the packages to senior citizens living in the south and eastern parts of Singapore, covering about 900 Housing Board units in neighbourhoods such as Redhill, Telok Blangah and Jalan Besar, from 7am to 6pm.

"Most were appreciative and happy to see a friendly face," said Ms Lim, adding that she was just glad to be doing something for the elderly, whom she has a "soft spot" for.

For more than 15 years, she has volunteered with different organisations to distribute food hampers and other essentials to them every few months.

"Usually, we ask charity groups what they need most before going, and visit the units they identify for us," said Ms Lim. As a precautionary measure, the distribution was "contactless", with the volunteers geared up in safety goggles, masks and gloves.

Singaporean socialite Kim Lim (Row 1, fourth from left) with care packages to be distributed among elderly citizens. PHOTO: KIM LIM

Other celebrities like homegrown actress Rui En have also tried to do their part.

Last week, she mobilised her fanclub RBKD to send 2,150 care packages to healthcare workers in Singapore, thanking them for their efforts to fight the virus.

Message from Rui En: I learnt awhile ago that I can't control the things that happen to me in life, but I can control my reaction to it. I can choose to be paralysed by fear and anxiety about getting a virus, locking myself at home, or I can take the required precautions and continue life in a safe, measured way. Similarly, we can allow fear to hold us hostage, resulting in ungracious behaviour towards front line health workers, or we can choose to lift them up as heroes and show them how much we appreciate them. The news articles about nurses being shunned on public transport were followed in quick succession by new articles about families sending nurses breakfast, and corporations treating them to a meal, or arranging safe transportation for them. News about diminishing blood bank supplies was met with overwhelming response and crowds at blood donation centres. I read all these articles with tears in my eyes. In a world where distrust, ugliness and hate are pervasive, Singaporeans have triumphed by letting LOVE have the last laugh. Me and RBKD sent these care packages to the front line health workers and cleaners because we wanted them to know that they are loved as heroes. For helping me put together this initiative seemingly overnight, thank you Xinyi. All the RBKD members who packed the care packages over 2 long sessions, I really appreciate you. My gor (who wrote a 100 notes in Chinese), his group of friends, and members who did handwritten notes for the health workers. The friends and fans who donated funds when they could not afford the time. The sponsors who came in so generously with items. — #RuiEn #LorealParisSG #kyusokujikan #lioncorp @pocarisg @megrhythmsg @lushsingapore #rbkd #SGUnited #SingaporeTogether #braveheartsg @sghseen @ttshnursing @tantocksenghospital #ncid #choosekindness

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Message from Rui En: I learnt awhile ago that I can't control the things that happen to me in life, but I can control my reaction to it. I can choose to be paralysed by fear and anxiety about getting a virus, locking myself at home, or I can take the required precautions and continue life in a safe, measured way. Similarly, we can allow fear to hold us hostage, resulting in ungracious behaviour towards front line health workers, or we can choose to lift them up as heroes and show them how much we appreciate them. The news articles about nurses being shunned on public transport were followed in quick succession by new articles about families sending nurses breakfast, and corporations treating them to a meal, or arranging safe transportation for them. News about diminishing blood bank supplies was met with overwhelming response and crowds at blood donation centres. I read all these articles with tears in my eyes. In a world where distrust, ugliness and hate are pervasive, Singaporeans have triumphed by letting LOVE have the last laugh. Me and RBKD sent these care packages to the front line health workers and cleaners because we wanted them to know that they are loved as heroes. For helping me put together this initiative seemingly overnight, thank you Xinyi. All the RBKD members who packed the care packages over 2 long sessions, I really appreciate you. My gor (who wrote a 100 notes in Chinese), his group of friends, and members who did handwritten notes for the health workers. The friends and fans who donated funds when they could not afford the time. The sponsors who came in so generously with items. — #RuiEn #LorealParisSG #kyusokujikan #lioncorp @pocarisg @megrhythmsg @lushsingapore #rbkd #SGUnited #SingaporeTogether #braveheartsg @sghseen @ttshnursing @tantocksenghospital #ncid #choosekindness

A post shared by Official Fan Club of Rui En (@rbkd) on Feb 21, 2020 at 2:29am PST

The packages included bottles of water, muesli bars, hand cream, gel pads for their feet, and revitalising face and eye masks. The items cost $88,000 in total and were sponsored by brands like cosmetics maker L'Oreal Paris Singapore and Kyusoku Jikan, which specialises in leg care products, from Lion Corporation Singapore, according to a Facebook post by the fanclub on Friday (Feb 21).

Besides medical personnel, cleaners working at Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases also received the care packages.