TEN TONS 2007

CONGRATULATIONS! BA CARES :] *from PSTF Committee*

TEN TONS!!!

6 students + 1 lecturer + 2500 volunteers=TEN TONS!! On the 14th of July 2007, 2500 volunteers combed the island to collect old newspapers and clothing to raise funds for 12 Voluntary Welfare Organizations (VWOs).

It all began with 6 “BA CARES” soon-to-be-graduate members brainstorming for a last project that they could do to serve society.

Newspaper collection was not new. They had planned and organized such collections before. But TEN TONS was going to be the LARGEST collection ever.

With the full support of School of Business and Accountancy (BA) lecturer Mr Ben Tan, these 6 students brought together all the Schools in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and some 20 secondary schools to pull off this record-breaking collaborative event with the National Environmental Agency (NEA).

As a consequence of their efforts, about 2500 volunteers gathered early in the morning at their respective areas all over the island - Central (Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, Serangoon & Toa Payoh), East (Pasir Ris & Bedok), West (Jurong East, Jurong West, Bukit Batok) and North (Woodlands, Yishun, Sembawang, Admiralty).

They then ventured out in the sweltering heat as Environmental Ambassadors, knocking from door-to-door to collect old newspapers and clothes. Residents were very supportive with their contributions.

Piles of newspapers and bagfuls of old clothing could be seen at each collection point.
TEN TONS was featured on Channel 8 News on the night of the collection, and 2 organising committee members, Joanne and Qiong Ping, were interviewed in a Chinese TV Talk show “Good Morning Singapore” on the 24th of July 2007.

With the support of its volunteers, TEN TONS managed to collect 101 tons of newspapers and 8 tons of clothing in a single day, earning the event a place in the Singapore Book of Records for the highest tonnage of such materials ever collected in a single day. To date TEN TONS has raised about $29,000 to be donated to the VWOs.

TEN TONS would like to thank all volunteers, secondary schools, lecturers, directors and the Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Mr Chia Mia Chiang, for supporting them in this worthy cause.