The Member of Parliament for my constituency, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, visited the Singapore Garden Festival (SGF) early today afternoon. Mr Simon Longman, Mr Ng Cheow Kheng from the Community in Bloom (CIB) and I were there to welcome her when she came to Level 4 of the Suntec Convention Center. Mrs Lim was first brought to the CIB exhibition area and then introduced to various community groups. She then also visted the booth of Green Culture Singapore (GCS) as well!
Later in the evening, GCS members who held the exhibitor’s passes were invited to attend the SGF’s Appreciation Party that was held in the Hospitality Pavillions on Level 6. As one can easily expect, due to the large number of people who were involved in one way to another in the Festival, the area that was cordoned off for the Party was filled with people!
Before the Party started, the Guest of Honour for the Party, Mr Mah Bow Tan and Mr Ng Lang (CEO NParks) went on stage to give their respective speeches where they also thanked all participants as well as partners who were involved in the SGF. Mr Mah’s speech can be read via this link while Mr Ng’s is available here.
The Party was officially started after the speeches and we were all treated to a sumptuous dinner. I was glad to see that the effort that the SGF organisers had actually put in to ensure waste production was minimised while we enjoyed the plants, flowers and landscaping at the Festival. The crockery and cutlery used at the Party are all made from corn and yam and hence they are totally bio-degradable. But does that mean they can be eaten as well?
Many thanks to my friends who were involved in the GCS booth this SGF, namely, Phillipe, Lily, Teresa, Richmond, Chong Ren, Xuan Hong, Lynnette and Eng Ong posed for a picture. Your contributions have been valuable and without them, the GCS booth won’t have been so impressive and interesting. The booth’s exhibits have been educational and particularly attractive to the crowd who visited the Festival. The beautiful decor at the GCS booth has an important part to play as well. I gave them all an SGF collar pin to express my thanks.
After we were done with the SGF Appreciation Party on Level 6, we were back to the GCS booth on Level 4 for yet another celebration. It was a much smaller potluck party and gathering which was initiated by Teresa which was attended a handful of GCS members. My sincere thanks to Teresa and those of you who took time off to attend our mini-gathering!
I must thank Herb Lover, Karen79 and Jolantu for being present to help entertain the crowd who visited the booth while the rest of us were away on Level 6 for the SGF Appreciation Party. I have noticed, to my surprise, that even after our little party had started, everyone could still be seen standing around the booth multi-tasking away. I watched with amusement as members were seen introducing the GCS website and the exhibits to the SGF visitors, chatting among themselves and enjoying the homemade snacks that were brought for the potluck, all at once!
Our gathering continued until 10 pm which was the time that SGF was officially supposed to close. All of us stopped our merrying soon after and we reluctantly started to take our exhibits at the GCS apart. With the effort put in from members who were present, we managed to take down all the posters and decor by 11 pm. Everything was consolidated and put in one corner so that we can cart them off easily later on.
The SGF was fun but a tiring time for those of us who were involved. I must say the chemistry between the members who were present was great and we got to know each other better from this event. I believe we all look forward to visit the booth each day during the Festival so that we can meet and catch up again. With the end of the SGF, I have to admit that I suffered from the ‘SGF hangover’ because I felt quite uneasy for not returning to Suntec Convention Center and I know I am not alone.
