Sunday, July 12, 2009

AYG- More scenes of TWC at Swissotel.


These are the specially trained students from Dunman High School preparing to raise the flags at the Team Welcome Ceremony. The Flagpoles were specially rented. They came with special air vents
in the hollow pipes which released powerful jets of air.
And it was this induced air flow that kept the flag flying " in the wind".
All teams were given this ceremonial welcome which was held at the Atrium on the 3rd level.
Their National anthem would be played while the flag is raised.

That would soon be followed by the official exchange of souvenirs. Representing our country would be many of the schools that were involved in the "twinning programme". This was an MOE initiative that paired one or two schools with an AYG participating country...thus allowing the students of the school to prepare suitable souvenirs for presentation to the various CDMs.
Here a student has just presented his gift to the CDM of China.




In return, he presented a blue vase to Singapore.



The North Korean flag being raised.


Saturday, July 11, 2009

AYG - Scenes from Team Welcome

Welcoming the teams from China and North Korea.

Exchanging of Souvenirs with North Korea CDM.


The Peoples' Republic of China and the North Korean flag side by side.


The team from OMAN with their Liaison Officer at the lobby of the Swissotel ( Games Village ).



The man behind the Team Wecome ceremony is Tan KW in green/white T- shirt. He and others like him and myself are attired in similar T-shirt of the Workforce.
Those in blue are Village volunteers.


Friday, July 10, 2009

You Will Never Grow Old on MP3

Hello Dick,
Thanks for your reply.
I sent the song to myself and it took only about 20 sec to download on Broad band, so I guess it will be OK to send it to you.
Some time ago, I saw your posting on Google about looking for the song,
when I was looking for it.
So, I know you will never get tired of this song as I never tire of hearing it.
Feel free to share it with others who are also looking for it.
We've got to keep these great old songs alive.

Best Regards,
Eddie

[ Eddie is a fellow song lover and blogger from Hong Kong. We are online friends ]

1. You will never grow old
While there's love in your heart
Time may silver your golden hair
As you dream in an old rocking chair

2. So keep my love in your heart
Remember the love tales we told
For with my love in your heartMy darling,
you will never grow old.

Alternative words in case some people get the wrong idea about friendship
2a
Keep love alive in your heart
Remember the love tales you’ve told
For while there’s love in your heart
dear friend, you will never grow old

Don’t be fretful, or regretful
That you will grow old much too soon
With love dare, to dream appear
You’ll stay like a rosebud in June

Repeat Vs 1.& 2
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫


You Will New Grow Old - Nat King Cole .mp32692K Play

♪ ♫ You will never grow old ♪ ♫

For visitors looking for the complete MP3... I have saved it on my computer and can forward to anyone who wants it.
I have not been able to upload it onto this blogger service yet.
Would anyone like to teach me how to do it?

However...you can visit my friend Eddie's website at this link http://ethelred.vox.com/library/audio/6a00c225267788549d0110184a7027860f.html

He has downloaded the FULL and original song by Nat King Cole !
Happy listening to all out there!

Monday, July 6, 2009

AYG - a Meeting of many former students !


Our student volunteers worked exceptionally hard at the Games Village. They were deployed to various tasks and duties. As Manager of the Volunteers taskforce numbering in the hundreds, it was my job to organise and assign them to the various roles under the charge of Funtional Areas heads. They came from schools, JCs and some Polys. The adult staff came from schools, MOE Hq, Schools Division etc.
Photo:
This student took his duty seriously, observing closely the thermal scanner as media people stream in and out of the Media centre.

Photo:
Jaswinder, the policewoman on duty was my former student.
I did not realise where all the thousands of students whom I have the privilege of teaching in my 4 decade career have gone to or what they were now doing.
This AYG was an eye-opener for me.
I have never had so many former students of mine coming forward to me and saying," Mr Yip, do you remember me...I was your former student ? I was your student in the year.. . Many are in the AYG workforce, many are also volunteers. Many are now in the education service from teachers, VPs, Principals to Directors. They are in all kinds of professions or business or politics...judges, DPPs, Senior Police and Military Command, lawyers and doctors, business leaders.


Photo:
Team Welcome ceremony for China and other nations.


Photo:
Village Mayor welcoming all at the ceremony.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

AYG ...Mascot, H1N1, Temp Taking.



This is Frasia, the official Mascot of the AYG. I was at the Media Centre when I bumped into this cute character. Viknesh, a Teacher volunteer was on Scanner duty.

The scanner is a pretty sophisticated system that can capture images of approaching visitors.

Any temperature above 38.1 Celsius
will confirm that the person has a fever and should stay on self - imposed home quarantine. The Philippines Soccer player was captured by such a scanner image at one of our Dining point. He and the rest of the team were quarantined. Similarly the same for the Hong Kong Football team and officials when 4 of their players came down with H1N1. All these were imported cases. All have since recovered and are well.


Viknesh, me and Frasia...at the Main media centre.
The Media Centre houses all the necessary IT connections with laptops etc for the work and reports by about 300 journalists and reporters from all over.

Some of the key chiefs were staring at me and my camera.
In the background the press and media swarmed round the just released Philippine soccer team member who were quarantined at our H1N1 holding area at Aloha Resort in Loyang.


Our village volunteer in action at the entrance to the Media Centre.
On duty here is Teacher Volunteer Dawn Lee and a student volunteer.
Everyone had his temperature taken with the "laser" temp gun and issued with a sticker if cleared.
Yellow stickers for morning till 5 pm.
Green stickers for after 5 pm.



Wednesday, July 1, 2009

AYG- Welcoming the teams !

The 1st contingent that was given the official Team Welcome Ceremony ( TWC ) is Singapore. That was soon followed by the few countries that have arrived earlier at the Games Village. Specially trained students from Dunman High School uniformed groups marched in smartly, carrying the national flag of each country to be hoisted on the specially set up flag posts. The students involved in this segment did not let us down. They were highly disiplined, focussed and carried out the movements required to near perfection. That too was the conclusion of many who were watching this simple yet dignified ceremony. The band from Ang Mo Kio Sec provided a dash of pomp and added spice to the event.










Tuesday, June 30, 2009

AYG -Opening of Games Village pt 2

Sr Minister of State Ms Grace Fu was the Guest of Honour at the ceremony.
Here she was delivering her speech. Quite a few of us key personnel of the Village were observing the proceedings from higher vantage points.
As usual, as an avid Blogger, I have my dependable Canon digital camera with me to capture these memorable moments.


The assembly who was listening to the GOH speaking.

At left was the table in blue cloth where Temperature stickers were issued to everyone after they have been cleared.
All these strict measures were implemented and manned by my Volunteers at various strategic access and control points within the Games Village...in response to the H1N1 cases that occured.
There were no new cases after we implemented counter-measures.



The Games Village was officially declared open when the GOH struck the gong.

Photo:
Swissotel Gen manager, DEP ms Sum,
ms Grace Fu, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Sr Parl Sec and Village mayor.


These are some of the people highly responsible for the operations of the Games Village.