Reflecting Innovativeness, Health Consciousness and Care

Religious charity organization Sik Sik Yuen (the “Yuen”) celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival by baking a giant organic moon cake for the elderly.

The 28-inch in diameter moon cake was made from natural ingredients of high nutritional value, including 6 pounds of organic barley and 15 pounds organic almond.

The organization dedicated to community and elderly services is sharing it among solitary elderly in Wong Tai Sin district who are socially withdrawn, alone or in shared apartment programme.

With the novel a moon cake make of organic ingredients, the Yuen aims to encourage the elderly with a message of “innovativeness, health consciousness and care”, and the need to balance mental and physical health.

The Yuen consulted food and nutritional experts for the initiative, and directors personally participated in the baking. The initiative reflects traditional Chinese culture of respect and love for the elderly, and serving the community.

Mr Lee Yiu-fai, Chairman of the Yuen, said, “We hope the elderly will feel love and care. More importantly, we want them to be more health conscious with food, and learn that life at an old age can still be fun and colourful with a dose of innovativeness.”

“Following Taoist practice, we hope to give our love to the elderly who are alone by themselves. We shall personally deliver this gigantic moon cake to their homes to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with them.”

The moon cake takes centre stage when the Yuen kicks-off its “Care for the Elderly Programme - Mid-Autumn Festival” initiative at Ho Lap Primary School on September 14, where elderly participants at the ceremony will get a taste.

Following the event, guests and volunteers will visit one hundred elderly who are socially withdrawn, alone or in shared elderly apartments, delivering slices of the moon cake as gifts in celebration of the festival.

Sik Sik Yuen has scheduled a series of activities for the elderly in 2008-2009, starting with “The Mid-Autumn Festival - Care for the Elderly Programme”. From November to December, the Yuen will donate winter clothes to the elderly. In January 2009, volunteers will help the elderly clean their homes in preparation for Chinese New Year. In February 2009 there will be a certificate presentation ceremony for volunteers involved in the programme.

Founded in 1965, Sik Sik Yuen was one of the first non-profit organizations in Hong Kong devoted to community and elderly services.

Photo Caption:
Directors of the Yuen were actively involved in planning and organizing the gigantic 28-inch moon cake with organic ingredients. The photo shows directors assisting in the baking.

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About Sik Sik Yuen
Sik Sik Yuen, the religious charity organization practicing Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, was established in 1921 to manage the Wong Tai Sin Temple, one of Hong Kong’s most famous place of worship as well as a major tourism site in Hong Kong. Adhering to the benevolent philosophy of Wong Tai Sin himself, “To act benevolently and to teach benevolence,” Sik Sik Yuen has been ministering to the needy for more than 80 years through education, medical assistance and care for the elderly. In education, Sik Sik Yuen has set up three primary schools, four secondary schools and one through-train school as well as seven kindergartens and child care centres. The Yuen offers diversified medical services through its Herbal Clinic General Clinic, Dental Clinic and Physiotherapy Centre. For the elderly, Sik Sik Yuen runs 17 senior citizens’ service units.

Issued on behalf of Sik Sik Yuen by Upstream Asia.
For further information, please contact:

Dorothy Fung/Joyce Mok
Upstream Asia
Tel：+852 2973 0222
Email：dorothy.fung@upstreamasia.com / joyce.mok@upstreamasia.com

Emily Chu/Jennifer Hui
Sik Sik Yuen
Tel：+852 2327 8141
Email：jenniferhui@siksikyuen.org.hk / emilychu@siksikyuen.org.hk

Photo download: http://media.upstreamasia.com/pr/SSY/Photo_Caption_11Sept.doc