Passing the Virtual Baton: SITizens Run Together for a Good Cause
Lacing up their trainers, they push to clock 5km for The Ireland Funds Singapore’s Remote Global 5K event, all in support of the Special Olympics Singapore
On 18 September 2021, more than 200 participants – including students and staff of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) – joined The Remote Global 5K, a virtual event hosted by The Ireland Funds Singapore.
The Remote Global 5K saw Ireland Funds chapters passing the virtual baton across different time zones, starting in Australia and Singapore, and on to Ireland and the UK, and then cities across the USA. This year, The Ireland Funds Singapore is partnering with and supporting Special Olympics Singapore, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Participants could run, bike, swim or stroll at this year’s Global at a place and time of their choosing in the 2021 edition of the Remote Global 5K.
One of the participants, Mr Darren Loo, Year 2 Air Transport Management student and SITizen Ambassador, opted to run. He also walked in residential areas for some segments of his route to form the shape of “SIT” on the map to show his support.
He said, “Although we did not run physically together, it was enjoyable because it felt like a team event! We ran and updated one another about our progress. We even recorded a few entertaining segments of Irish dances and made a video collage. It was very meaningful as we all got together for a charitable cause and gave back to the community as SIT!”
‘We were delighted to have such great support from SIT for our Global 5K event again this year and we especially enjoyed the SIT contingent’s video montage and very impressive Irish dance moves! We look forward to an in-person Global 5K next year and in the meantime, hope we can collaborate with SIT in March 2022 for our Sense of Ireland celebration,” said Ms Pamela Spreckley, Executive Director, The Ireland Funds Singapore.
Said Dr Stanley Quek, Chairman, The Ireland Funds Singapore, “This is the third time The Ireland Funds Singapore is hosting the Global 5k, and the second time that it was run as a virtual event. I am very happy that the pandemic did not deter the participants from coming together remotely. I hope they had fun in the process!”
The Ireland Funds Singapore, which aims to further develop the long historical relationship between Singapore and Ireland, has made possible The Ireland Funds Singapore Overseas Immersion Programme (OIP) Grant at SIT. Dr Quek has also made possible the Tan Mui Eng Bursary to support Nursing or Allied Health undergraduates, as well as the K M Quek Applied Research Grant to support research projects involving undergraduates participating and learning at SIT’s Centre of Health Sciences Research & Innovation.