Nine Emperor Gods Festival

The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is over. Yearly, it lasts for 9 days in the 9the month of the Lunar calendar.
This year, October 4th was the start of the festival. Enakkers of the MCG did not miss the opportunity to be among the devotees and visitors to soak in the atmosphere of the Taoist festival, and be there to have a vegetarian lunch right in the temple premises.

In the late morning, we met at one of the stalls. I'm no stranger to vegetarian dishes as Indian types do feature in my diet. I found the dishes blander and different; the  Indian dishes being aromatic and spicy. Most of the dishes has soya as one of the main ingredients - as in bean paste, bean curd etc.

Besides eating, we took the opportunity to catch glimpses of the goings-on. Really, it is worth witnessing  this festive aspect of Taoism. Below are some pictures taken as we moved about the temple. Certainly, the carnival - like atmosphere can carry one away in the actvities that surround us.

Sampling the vegetarian dishes as they came.

Look up the ceiling .

Joss sticks of different sizes , bunched to offer prayers for prosperity, longevity etc.

Anyone can ask for fortune to be told.

Keeping  the fires burning  as long as the cooks are at work.

Tortoises, big and small - brightly coloured and doughy

Chinese altar decorative cloth depicting gods and goddesses

All ready for the big, big wok.

Not for the faint-hearted. Got muscle, stamina  and ready to sweat it out??

Take a quick count . 

Devotees, all dressed in white. Never a grumble.

Smoke gets in your eyes.

Skipping Far and Near with Rotary

What do Rotarians do with skipping ropes? Thankfully, many of us can still skip and that deserves a pat on our shoulders. It says you are still agile and your stamina is quite intact!

With the launch of 100,000 skipping ropes: Promote Healthy Lifestyle - Skipping for Health by the Health Minister, Dato Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Rotary Kelab di Raja KL, many clubs  were given these ropes to spread the message of well-being among youths.

Before long, we found the humble skipping  rope can be anyone's good companion. From the heaps of ropes delivered in boxes into the hands of children, the limp rope transforms an inactive child into a burst of energy, his legs springing  off the ground  much to the  excitement of his peers .

The EEP ( Economic Empowerment Programme) students of Selangor Cheshire Home were thrilled when I brought 30 to them. The morning lethargy disappeared fast and the boys and girls were suddenly united in playing together. Beads of sweat just pushed them on as they were stirred into energetic souls.

At the Special Children's Home Ampaang, it was a matter of swinging the rope over and above  their heads. When shown by their caregivers, it promised fun, just like the trampoline nearby.

 I visited the Rotary Club Kota Bahru  with   rice soy meals in packets and  school shoes for their community visits.Also I brought 50 skipping ropes ready to distribute to the schoolchildren of SK Sultan Ismail 2. With Rotarian Kian Meng, we were warmly greeted by Penolong Kanan, En. Shaidi , teachers and the school children. Full marks to Kian Meng for translating  in Bahasa Melayu what I delivered in English on the benefits of skipping.  Sportingly he  skipped when I sprung a surprise on him , much to the applause of the audience. Kudos to En Shaidi who gamely skipped and sweated. His enjoyment  encouraged the children to join him. That's leading by example! So, in the mid-morning sun the children skipped away.

Nearer home, in Kajang, Rotarians from Pantai Valley with the Altruistic Youths  reached out to Persatuan Kebajikan Kanak Kanak . Besides some provisions for 2 poorly disadvantaged homes, we presented  'goodies' of  rice soy packets, school  shoes and skipping ropes. Everything fell into place . The kids age 5 - 15  watched a video on  the different variations of skipping. Then the real experience got them going. Once started, they could not resist the powerhouse of fun latent in a skipping rope. So, skip away - just carry your exercise aid in your pocket!

All  focused on skipping variations on video.

Ready to spring off and skip.

The fun has begun!

A mid-morning exercise.

Happy with an unexpected gift of skipping ropes.

A different way to enjoy.

Fun in the sun!

Watch the fun.

Skipping in the school hall.

Ready to hear  how to get fun out of a skipping rope.

Let the skipping rope be your health companion!

Wheelchair Training Course by Latter-day Saint Charities

Going to Kota Bahru for the first time was special. To top it all, being there to participate in a wheelchair training course and to meet up, also for the first time with fellow Rotarians at Rotary Club Kota Bahru made up many swell moments.

25 participants attended the workshop; the majority came from Kota Bahru. My friend, Pearl and I flew in from Kuala Lumpur.Our dedicated instructors, led by physical therapist, Kim Brown of  Latter-day Saint Charities, all the way from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA did an excellent job imparting his expertise. The entire workshop was dutifully translated into Bahasa Malaysia by Suki, our Malaysian physiotherapist and Yana.

We learned the A,B,Cs of  wheelchairs - descriptions of the the different components  and how to guide first -time users. There were wheelchairs - standard and rough rider to give away and a major part of the course detailed assessing the potential user to give a wheelchair. Upon being credited as suitable, the user or caregiver is taught how to ride, open doors, go up and down steps assisted, safety tips etc.

A wheelchair is a tool and a machine.It is gratifying to know that with giving  a wheelchair away, lives are changed. Mobility is enhanced, coping better with physical impediments, providing invaluable aid to caregivers, enabling greater self-esteem are some outcomes. All the more so, being well -trained to have more in-depth knowledge about wheelchairs and end -users is of utmost importance.

The day of reckoning came when the instructors stepped back for the students to apply their newly -acquired expertise. 30 odd locals came in anticipation with their families/caregivers to be assessed.

Needless to say, it was a memorable goodbye to each and every new recipient of the wheelchairs. To be able to ride home in comfort and tackle each day, through thick and thin. As for the students who proudly wore the tees with a new designation of Wheelchair Specialist, it was not only worthwhile time spent but humbling to be part of the great teaching and interaction of Latter-day Saint Charities' humanitarian outreach.

Gaye Brown  showing the parts of a wheelchair and recognizing their functions.

Chart shows the ideal posture of 90/90/90 degrees.

Gaye Brown showing how to safely  transfer  a wheelchair user .

Participant practising the correct way to measure  for the suitable size for the wheelchair user.

Kim Brown, physical therapist emphasizing  the importance of  correct measurement for a correct size of wheelchair  for the user. 4 Teams measured 4 persons - some  results showed variations.

Participant learning  the slide test to ensure the wheelchair is a good fit for the user.

Wheelchair cushion  being cut to fit the size of the wheelchairs which come in 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 inches

Out with the wrenches which were given to every participant  to assemble the wheelchairs.

Assembling a rough rider - team work at its best.

One of the potential recipients for a wheelchair wheeled in for assessing.

History taking , noting any  'red flags' .

A happy participant of the 3 day course.

Proud to be a student of Kim Brown ( rt) and Robert Howell  (LDS Humanitarian Director) of Latter-day Saint Charities

It's a happy, satisfying  culmination of a 3 day course -  participants with their instructors. 

Rotary Family Breakfast

Sunday morning on 8 Sept was cool after the past evening of heavy showers. Thankfully, District 3300 was able to enjoy a Rotary Family Breakfast at Rotary Square for brekkie with a good dose of fellowship.

It was also a chance to be at our very own Rotary Square. It was my third visit ; the first being the relaunch of Rotary Square. A home is where we come to roost. For Rotarians, we value this spot, smack in the city centre, dedicated to Rotary, our beloved organisation. Thanks to the mayors who recognise the immense contributions of Rotary. Our  Rotary Wheel logo stands tall and high for the public to know us. Herein the Square  lies our time capsule to be released 100 years later (2100)  It will surely be a momentous day when it finally arrives.

Back to the morning . Limbering up exercises  were led by our DG, Dato Dr Mohinder Singh. We surrendered our bodies to stretch and sway. Soon momentum picked up when qigong master and Rotarian,  Mr Tan, got us to find the chi in us as we followed his instructions.

I came prepared to tell a story for the children. Just 4 were there but the adults more than made up for them!! Be prepared for frogs croaking and mozzies buzzing  amidst the tyrannical chieftain's orders. All Things Are Connected reminds us to seek a balance in Nature . It is worth retelling  for the fun and interactivity and the message which is evident.

All in , it was a relaxed morning. The organising committee did a fine job. As usual, it was all hands on deck. We look forward to more happenings here.

Qiqong master with an attentive audience.

City Hall /DBKL towering in the background.

My fellow club members,spouse Ravi and fellow Rotarians.

Bend and flex

Gather here, all ye Rotarians!

Squirt in!

Love on  wheels. 

Helping hands 

Healthy start - come on!

Time capsule for the future generation

PP Mah ( RC Kajang) couldn't resist being  King Frog!

Tyranny got the chieftain nowhere.

I made them laugh.